


Sleeping Hunter

by CALLEN37



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-25
Updated: 2013-08-27
Packaged: 2017-12-03 14:59:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 37,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/699501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CALLEN37/pseuds/CALLEN37
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric Beale, mild mannered Tech operator, who are the red headed women who hold his heart and how far will he go to save one and protect the other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

1993

16-year-old Eric Beale grabbed his surfboard and leant it up against the outside of his family's large home in Delfern Drive, in the affluent Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles. As the maid opened the door, she shook her head at him, "Mr. Eric, your father is going to have a fit at you, and he said he would burn it if you left it there again." She grinned as the blond boy shook his head and ran inside.

Christian Beale looked over his paper as his son flew up the stairs; "Eric!" he called, his youngest son was always an enigma to the whole household. He attended Harvard Westlake School and had a 4.0 GPA but had already turned down a place at Harvard Business School like his two older brothers and had instead opted for a place at M.I.T. Where his older brothers liked Polo, Tennis and Golf Eric preferred surfing and hanging out at the beach. Eric was in many ways mothers son, a free spirit, which was what Christian had loved about her and losing her in childbirth had been hard on him.

Christian Beale had managed to contact his old governess that his mother had brought with her from Germany when she had emigrated here in the forties just after world war two. He himself being the son of an American executive and a German Aristocrat had found it difficult growing up in a post world war two America, but his governess that his mother had brought over being only twenty years older than him had shown him the wonders of America and straightened him out. He had hoped that Ms Schultz would be able to straighten Eric out as well however she was well into her seventies now and Eric ran her ragged.

"Papa?" Eric answered his father skidding to a halt in the conservatory.

"Where is Frau Schultz?" He asked hoping his son remembered he had lessons with her today.

"Elsa? Er…I saw her this morning," Eric said with a cocky grin.

Christian raised an eyebrow, "Eric, my boy you left here before dawn." He said he had been awoken before sunrise by the squealing of tires on Eric's Trans Am as he pealed out of the driveway at 3.30am.

"I had to catch the tide Papa, the swells were awesome this morning," Eric grinned from ear to ear.

"And did you?" He asked his youngest,

"Oh Papa, it was great and I met the cutest girl, I have to go I'm taking her out tonight." Christian had to smile at the exuberance of his youngest.

"Go then, I will deal with Elsa. Just this once."

Eric ran out of the conservatory and up to his room getting ready for his first date with the fiery Irish redhead he had met on the beach this morning, He knew he had answered just enough questions to keep his father happy and he hadn't asked the one that would have got him grounded. If he had told him, his date lived in one of the poorest area's of L.A. Nothing would have saved him from one of Elsa's lectures.

* * *

Eric didn't care. His father was rich, but money was not what Eric Beale was about; He liked his friends and he loved computers and surfing. Everything else was irrelevant, to be honest if Eric could have hacked from a surfboard in the middle of the ocean, he would have been in heaven.

Right now he was off to see the next best thing to heaven one. Myra Paige O'Conner.

Rushing to his room to change he saw both his brothers down at the tennis court with the girls they had been introduced to at the country club, he was glad he didn't have to spend time with them today.

He grabbed a shirt and jeans and changing out of his sandals, he grabbed a pair of worn sneakers and his credit card.

Within the hour, his Trans Am pulled up outside a small two-bed bungalow in Reseda. Myra's father Shamus opened the door to him and gave him the 'if you hurt my daughter; they will never find your body' speech. Which Eric took in the spirit in which it was given….he was terrified.

Myra laughed at her father, kissed him goodbye and they went off on what was to be the first of many dates.

* * *

Six months later, both teens sat on the beach looking at the small white stick in Myra's hand that spelt their doom. She was pregnant.

Eric, being the man he was, insisted on marrying her, the fact he loved her helped as well.

He took her to his house and she held his hand as he introduced her to his father. His brothers leant over the balcony barley containing their glee as their little brother listened as his father yelled at them both.

"How could you be so irresponsible?" He yelled at Myra.

Eric stood between his girlfriend and his father, "Don't yell at her, I love her!"

"And she's from where? Who are her parents and what to they say?" Christian could not believe this was happening.

"I live in Reseda Mr. Beale with my father, he runs a bar."

"Oh this gets better and better." Christian rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to marry her." Eric declared.

"Over my dead body!" Christian Beale growled. "You young lady should try gold digging somewhere else and you should leave."

Myra put her hands on her hips, "I love Eric, I am having his child and I will marry him with or without your permission." She said her Irish accent filling the air.

Eric looked at her proudly, "I love her too,"

"Then leave!" Christian said sadly.

"What?" Eric looked confused.

"If you love her, then leave, I'll have no gold diggers in my family, we are German Aristocracy and I will not have my family tainted. You have ten minutes to pack what's yours and leave." Christian turned his back on his son.

Myra stood holding her bag as Eric threw three heavy duffel bags over the balcony onto the floor below and walked calmly down the stairs, "Papa, this is your last chance, If I leave now you will never see me or your grandchild again."

Christian, stubborn as his own father refused to turn and look as his youngest left and broke his heart.

* * *

Three years later, Myra and Eric Beale woke up as their young daughter Summer opened the door to the bedroom in the small apartment they were living in and dive bombed her parents. Eric laughed as Myra got their little red headed firecracker washed and ready to go to daycare on campus.

MIT had an excellent daycare program and Eric took advantage of it while he studied and Myra worked in the campus canteen. Neither of them regretted leaving L.A for an instant. Eric in his spare time wrote programs and did some hacking with friends while Summer played on the floor in the evenings.

Eric had been offered $1000 to hack an email address, he had thought it was for a school project but he was curious about this one, which made him check as he handed the information over. The man he was due to meet was late and Eric was starting to get worried, he had just graduated and they were going to have to move from student accommodation and Eric really needed the money.

The man he was due to meet pulled up and got out of a van.

"Eric Beale?" he asked.

"Yes?" Eric answered, "Look do you have my money." He snapped time was getting on.

"No, you looked into the file; give me the information I need."

"Not without my money." Eric said

The man gestured behind him and the side door on the van opened, Eric gasped to see Myra with a gun to her head tears streaming down her face.

"Myra!" he started forwards.

"Beale, be glad we just took your wife and not your daughter too. Now hand it over."

Shakily Eric handed the package over. "Please let her go! I won't tell anyone what was on the flash drive."

"Get out of town Mr. Beale, if you want your daughter to live you have 12 hours to pack up and leave. If your wife lives she'll find you." The door slammed shut.

* * *

Fifteen years later in LA in his trailer on the beach, Eric Beale woke up sobbing.

Eric arrived at Ops before everyone as usual, and as usual as soon as the computer was running, he took a small thumb drive from his pocket and plugged it into one of the terminals.

Operation Sleeping Hunter was a go. He had written the program the first week Myra had gone missing; it ran in the background of the facial recognition software that he had designed which had ultimately got him the job at NCIS.

Out of all the terrorists and wanted criminals, it looked for there was one face that had priority over all others. Myra Paige Beale's.

 


	2. Chapter 2

As Eric powered down the ops center Nell walked back in, Eric jumped from the back of the computer as if burned.

"You alright?" Nell asked suspiciously.

Eric grinned, "Yep," He bent down and picked up his bag, "All ready to go, I'm off surfing tonight." As they left together, he looked back at the thumb drive he had been unable to retrieve.

Nell laughed as she walked down the stairs, "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow."

Eric sat in his car for a moment before he realized with her watching him he wasn't going to be able to go back and get it. So he headed for home.

As he opened the door to his trailer, he fell over a stack of books just inside the door. "Summer!" He called out; Summer stuck her head out of her room, "Yeah dad?"

Eric held the bag of books above his head. "Lose something?"

"Aw, I just left it there for a second, I had to get my wet-suit on, and we are still surfing today?" She asked giving him the puppy dog look; her mother had genetically gifted her.

"Summer Evangeline Beale you get this bag and put it in your room right now and then we'll surf and hot dogs on the beach for dinner tonight." Eric said 'mock' sternly as he knew he wasn't mad at her.

Summer grinned and put the bag in her room, "OK, I'm off out to Tamara's to study later I'm planning on staying over."

Eric smiled as he walked past to his room, "Fine, I'll just be five minutes, wax up the boards."

"You're immense daddy!" Summer said kissing him and bouncing out of the door.

Eric lay back on his bed for a second, he thought of Myra and hoped as he always did that she was alive wherever she was.

Less than five minutes later Eric kept his promise and was stepping out of his trailer and looking towards the surf where his daughter was waxing the boards up.

They surfed for a few hours and then had dinner and Summer kissed her father goodbye as she grabbed her books and left the trailer.

* * *

Nell was in ops first the next morning and was surprised when Eric wasn't about.

She booted up the computers and stopped as a small window appeared on Eric's computer window.

'please insert password'

She looked at it, and then she typed in her NCIS ID.

'Password invalid'

'Eric please input your password'

…...'

She picked up her phone, "Hetty I've got something strange up here." She said and explained what she had.

Hetty walked in to ops, Callen who had crashed on the couch overnight was there as well.

"What do we have Miss Jones?" she asked.

"There is an illegal program on here. Normally I would think we would have had an intrusion, except for this…it's asked Eric for his password,"

"Have you called Eric?" Callen asked.

"No I would never have thought of doing that!" Nell replied sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

Callen smirked, Hetty cleared her throat and the two jumped.

"I tried calling him, his cell phone is off." She replied to Hetty.

Hetty looked concerned and went to say something as her phone rang. She walked onto the balcony and took the call.

Callen looked at Nell, "Can you still get in anyway, maybe find out what this file is for."

"I'll try." She said, she sat at her terminal typing away fully focused on the task at hand.

"Mr. Callen," Hetty said and gestured for him to follow her.

"What is it Hetty?" He asked.

"A body was found on the Beach outside a Trailer at Dockweiler Park on Vista Del Mar, I need your team to go down there as it's outside a trailer registered to Mr. Beale." Hetty said, Callen turned and looked at her.

"Is it…?" He couldn't ask

"It's a woman, but with Mr. Beale missing, I am concerned." Hetty said.

Callen nodded and grabbed his team filling them in on the way.

* * *

They pulled up at the trailer park next to the trailer with LAPD outside of it, flashed their badges and talked to the lead detective, Terry Carlson.

"What happened?" Callen asked.

"Early morning Surfers found the body outside the trailer, she was shot a single round to the head, we've put a BOLO out for the guy that lived here, and I just heard he's one of yours." Terry said.

"Yeah our Tech operator. Good guy,"

"Yeah….Well the bullet belongs to a gun registered to your 'good guy' and no one had seen him, until we find him he's a person of interest."

A motorbike screeched to a halt by the yellow tape, Callen watched as a woman with long red hair, and blue eyes got off the bike and started arguing with the police officer.

"I live here…..Where's my dad…..DAD!" she screamed as she saw a body bag.

Terry and Callen walked over to her, "Can I help you miss?"

"Is that my dad?" She asked fearfully tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"No it's a woman, who are you?" Callen asked suspiciously.

"My name is Summer Beale, where's my dad?" She asked starting to get annoyed that the two men were not telling her anything.

Terry pulled out a photograph of the dead woman, "Do you know who she is?" He asked.

Summer looked at the photograph and her eyes grew wide. "Mommy!" She dropped the picture and tried to get past Callen and Carlson.

"No please, that's my mom!" Summer dropped to her knees in the sand and sobbed.

"We'll give you the scene, I'm accompanying the body back to the morgue keep me in the loop will you?" Carlson asked, Callen nodded and turned his attention to Summer.

* * *

Callen let her through and she sat on a deck chair outside the RV.

He gave her a bottle of water and a tissue and walked over to the others, "Her name's Summer Beale. She's related to Eric a sister I think and the dead woman is the mother."

Deeks looked confused at that, "She can't be." He told the lead agent. "Eric said once he never knew his mother, she died in childbirth, in fact I think it's the only time he's ever talked about his family."

Kensi walked over to Summer and showed her the photo of Eric, "Do you know this man?"

Summer nodded as she collected herself. "He didn't kill mom, he's spent the last fifteen years looking for her, he loves her….loved her." She corrected herself.

Eric's Car pulled up to the scene and he got out not paying attention to the gang outside his RV, there were sometimes people there, he saw Summers bike and called out to her, "Summer, I'm late for work come get your board off my car." He unstrapped his and turned.

Summer looked up as he called.

"Daddy!" she screamed and shot into his arms.

"It's ok baby girl, what's the matter?" He said soothing his daughter and then looking up to see the team there, a dark look crossed his face and he looked at Summer checking for injuries. "Are you ok baby?" he asked.

Summer sniffed and nodded, "They…..They….found…." She dissolved into tears again.

Eric looked at the team "Guy's what's going on."

"There was a dead body outside your RV." Sam said handing him the picture.

Eric looked down, went pale, and dropped to his knees, "Myra." He said.

He looked up his face composed his eyes devastated, "Did Summer find her?" He asked.

"No, some surfers, she was shot with your gun." Callen said, "Who was she?"

"She was my wife….but I don't own a gun….at least I haven't since I was a teenager." Eric turned to Summer again, "Grab a bag; you will have to come with me."

"Where are you going?" Sam asked.

"Work, you'll need access to my security cameras." Eric said pointing to the camera attached to a lamppost nearby. "And seeing as I left my thumb drive running last night, I assume you can't get the computers at ops to work either."

Callen nodded.

Summer headed to Eric's car. Then they all left for the mission.

* * *

Eric walked in first with Summer on his heels and he ran up to ops where Nell was still trying to get into the thumb drive and Hetty was watching.

"Mr. Beale?" Hetty said with a concerned look at the stranger in ops.

"Hetty Lange, operations manager, Summer Beale…My daughter."

Both Hetty and Nell stood open mouthed.

"Sorry I'm late Hetty someone murdered my missing wife, If it's ok with you, seeing as they tried to frame me I think It's about time I found out who did it."

"We can't get into the system." Nell said.

Eric opened the voice command on his computer, "Summer Evangeline Beale." He said.

'System online, Good morning Eric…..You have three hits on your chosen target.' The computer voice said.

Hetty walked up to him, "Your chosen target?" she asked.

"My wife." Eric said.

"He has a private camera feed watching his trailer, pull up what you have," Callen said.

"Outside, now." Eric said to Summer.

The others were surprised at his tone of voice. Summer nodded and walked outside, "Stay in the building." Eric warned, whoever had given his wife back just to murder her outside his home might be after his little girl and that he wasn't going to allow.

"Very well Mr. Beale, put up the footage needed and then I want you and Miss Beale in my office."

"No!" Eric said.

They all looked at him stunned, "I will come to your office, you now need to know about Myra and why I've been looking for her, and Summer doesn't need to hear it."

"Miss Beale is an eighteen year old woman is she not?" Hetty said "And she will need to be informed."

"She is my daughter and I will decided what she is told and when, I have looked after her since she was three and honestly Hetty, I assume you would never tell Sam how to raise his children and what to tell them, I expect you to extend me the same courtesy." He said.

Hetty nodded and left a very stunned ops in her wake.

Eric turned to the computer and pulled up the footage they were seeking.

 


	3. Chapter 3

They all watched as a van pulled up beside Eric's trailer and an older blond haired man got out with a red headed boy and pulled Myra from the van. She fell to the ground torn between running to the trailer and trying to protect the boy.

The older man, still with his back to the camera pointed the gun at Myra and held a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Myra looked at the security camera her eyes boring into Eric's soul as he watched her reach for the boy tears falling down her face and he fired.

The boy turned his head into the man's shoulder. He was roughly pulled past Myra as he tried to reach down to her and he was thrown into the back of the van. Just as he was about to leave the man turned to look at her and check he wasn't being watched, then he looked up at the camera and wave.

"Son of a bitch!" Eric yelled pushing his chair away from the monitor.

"Miss. Jones; run a facial recognition scan." Hetty said.

"There's no need." Eric said. "His name is Niklas Beale. He's my brother."

"You don't have a brother." Nell stated.

"Nell after the last few hours can you, any of you honestly say you know me!" Eric snapped.

Nell shook her head she honestly couldn't and that hurt her, she had thought they were friends.

Eric sighed as he pulled up the info they had on his brother.

Niklas Beale. D.O.B… 17th February 1957

Eldest of three children to Christian and Karolin Beale.

Runs BA Industries after the founder, Christian Beale retired.

Mother Karolin Beale died as a result of childbirth in 1977.

Eric paused as a look of sorrow crossed his face.

Has a son, Todd Beale, 15 born in 1997 mother's unknown.

The others sat quietly digesting this information, Hetty turned to Eric, "Your father owned Beale Aeronautic Industries, They are a multimillion dollar corporation and they have some high profile contracts with the navy. This makes it our case now."

"So you can get us in to see your father and Niklas?" Callen said.

"I doubt I'll get you in, but, if you bring him to the boat-shed I'll get him to talk." Eric said sadly.

"You need to come to my office first," Hetty told him.

"Yes and I need to check on Summer, she's probably online by now."

"We have secure servers." Nell said.

Eric just rolled his eyes and smiled, "My daughter." He reminded her.

* * *

As they walked down the stairs, Eric sat Summer sat on the couch with her knees drawn up with someone's laptop.

"Hey that's mine!" Sam said disgruntled.

"Don't worry grandpa, I only hacked your password all your little sordid secrets are safe, I have a term paper due." She said, Sam was instantly interested, "You're at college?" He asked.

"UCLA studying computer science and Atmospheric and Oceanic sciences." She told him.

"Wow," Sam was impressed.

Callen walked past and sniggered at him, "Hey Grandpa."

Sam glared and followed him out to the challenger.

Hetty motioned for Eric to sit down.

"Mr. Beale when were you going to tell me you had a daughter and that you were related to one of the richest businessmen in the US and more importantly when were you going to tell me you were running a private search on our equipment?" She asked him.

Eric sat back in his chair, took his glasses of and tiredly rubbed his eyes, "Honestly Hetty…..Never." he admitted.

"Why Mr. Beale, did you think being wealthy would mean that I would not have hired you?" she asked.

"I'm not." Eric said simply, "If I was wealthy I would not be living in a trailer. But that's not why I didn't tell you, I didn't tell you because I needed to protect Summer, her mother was missing and I knew you would need my program for finding criminals and I needed the resources that NCIS could provide." He sat and looked at her.

"I am disappointed in you Mr. Beale, but I understand the need for you to protect your child." Hetty told him. She herself was pleased that he had stood up to her. She knew all about Sam's family and how they would be able to cope if anything happened to him, with his wife being ex-CIA that wasn't a problem. However, she was glad that when defending his daughter, Eric could hold his own, however the fact that he had managed to keep his life hidden from her was unsettling….yes that was the word, she wasn't angry, just unsettled. If he could hide this and his connection to one of the wealthiest families in the US what else could he hide?

"She is very beautiful, you must be very proud of her," She told her technical analyst.

Eric face split into a huge smile, "I am, she's a freshman at UCLA and She surf's like a pro."

Hetty nodded, making a note to check on the young woman's academic success later. She had noticed that she had cracked the encryption on Sam's laptop in a matter of seconds and had not even attempted to access his private files so she had integrity, which was something Hetty prized in people.

"I need for you to go to the boat-shed, Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna will be bringing in your brother and father, I would like you on hand to maybe smooth the way with them," she suggested.

"Summer?" Eric said, "I can't take her to the boat-shed."

"Actually, it would be a good idea if she went, she would be safer there, there is a room upstairs she can use, it will keep her out of the way and I here she has a term paper to complete. This may help as well." Hetty opened a cupboard and pulled out a red laptop. "It is empty, consider it a gift, it has the latest software on it and she should be able to use it quite easily being your daughter."

Eric was stoked, although he worked with the latest computers at work the laptop they owned at home was an old one that they had had since Summer was born. All his money had gone on raising his daughter and beefing up the security around his trailer to protect her. He talked a good game in ops, but to be honest the only time he played on computer games where the two times that Hetty had caught him. He had small parts to his laptop and to be honest if the team had gone into his trailer they would have seen that his room looked like a computer parts junkyard as he kept buying parts to keep his laptop running. When she had managed to get the scholarship to UCLA, he had wanted to get her a new laptop but he just hadn't had enough money, what with keeping her bike and his car running as well. She had declared to her friends that she was going old school and used notepads and pens. Not once had she ever complained about the things she had to go without just so they could pay a bill.

"Thank you Hetty," He said.

Hetty turned to Summer, "Miss Beale, could you come here for a moment."

"Yes Ma'am!" Summer jumped up and walked to Hetty's office.

* * *

Callen and Sam pulled up outside Eric's father's home.

"Wow!" Callen said, even Sam was impressed by the size of the house as they walked up the steps to the front door.

They rang the bell and waited as a Hispanic woman opened the door.

"Yes?" she said.

They showed her their badges, "Agents Hanna and Callen, NCIS we would like to talk Mr. Beale."

"Come in." The woman said and motioned them to wait as she walked off.

An older version of Eric walked down the stairs. "NCIS?" He asked.

Sam nodded and held out his hand, "Agents Hanna and Callen."

"Christian Beale, What can I do for you?" he asked.

Not wanting to give too much away they said, "It's about one of your van's being used in a murder, we need you to come and identify some photos for us."

"Certainly, the government has given us a lot of contracts I would like to help."

Christian followed the two men to the car, leaving word as to where he was going.

Eric and Summer arrived at the boat-shed first.

He gave her a can of soda and sent her upstairs with her laptop so she could work on her term paper. The he set to work getting interrogation ready.

He was so engrossed in his work he didn't hear the challenger pull up and was talking to Nell about boosting the internet signal in the boat-shed for Summer.

Callen walked in with Christian behind him. Who came to a grinding halt as he saw his youngest son for the first time since he was 17.

"Eric?" Christian said.

Nell watched as a look of anger, hatred and then fear crossed Eric's face before he turned to face his father.

"Mr. Beale." Eric said flatly and turned back to his work.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Eric turned his back on his father and looked at the shocked face of Nell.

"Are we done?" He snapped, he did not mean to, Nell was a sweet person and he knew she had a close family and he really was not in the mood to explain his relationship with his father right now.

Nell in her own way got that. Eric was her partner. Maybe they did not go out in the field like Kensi and Deeks or Sam and Callen, but she still had his back just the same. She gave him a small smile just so he knew that they were ok and signed off.

Eric ignored his father and turned to Callen and Sam.

"Callen, interrogation room one is set up for Mr. Beale." He said and then with a smirk added, "I hacked the company files, anything you need to know just ask,"

Eric had his hands balled into fists he wanted so much to beat the information they wanted out of him, to take out every measure of his sorrow and anger out on the man who had abandoned him all those years ago.

Christian narrowed his eyes and looked at his youngest, "I came here of my own free will, what gives you the right to hack my files. I'll sue NCIS!" he raged.

"Bite me!" Eric grinned, "I take full solo responsibility for this, sue me…..oh you can't can you, you left me broke and alone with a kid on the way at seventeen!" he yelled leaning across the table at his fathers face.

Christian looked horrified, "You never air family business in front of strangers." He hissed at his son.

"They are my family, you're nothing." Eric was about to walk away but was stopped by a voice from the top of the stairs.

"Daddy… Are you alright?" Summer asked worriedly having heard her father lose his temper, something that happened usually only when she had been in danger.

"My God!" Christian breathed looking at his granddaughter for the first time.

"Back in the room now!" Eric said. Summer looked at her father worried, "Peaches." Was all he had to say a look of fear crossed her face; she ran into the room and then bolted the door.

Callen and Sam looked at Eric quizzically and all he said was "It keeps her safe." Then he turned his attention back to his father. He knew the field agents should be doing this but he could not bring himself to wait.

* * *

He grabbed the photos of Niklas and threw them in front of his father.

"Did you know Klaus had Myra?" he asked.

"Who is Myra?" Christian said innocently.

"Myra, My wife, the woman you thought was beneath me and you threw me out onto the streets for." He snarled.

"Was that the unehelich?" Christian asked.

Eric launched himself across the table and was grabbed by Callen and Sam, "Don't you call her that! Don't you ever call her that, she's perfect and my child!"

Sam and Callen pulled him over to the other side of the room. "You good?" Sam asked he was shocked never having seen this level of anger from their tech before.

"Nowhere near, just get the information from him," Eric replied.

"Eric, you need to calm down if we are going to do this." Callen said. "We know she isn't. He's just trying to get to you."

"Fine." Eric smoothed down his shirt and walked back to the table.

"Where is Klaus?" Eric asked his face again impassive.

"Why should I tell you?" Christian asked, "You are just a tech geek."

"Where?" Eric demanded.

* * *

Christian looked at his son, there was so much anger in the boy, he had known he was going off the rails when he took up with that girl, but he had hoped the years would have mellowed his son, but no. There was still so much defiance there.

"Klaus did what he thought was best for you. He went to see Myra to try to get you to come home, He talked to you and you blanked him, the night he came home with her." Christian said, "Why did you not listen to him and come back to the family?"

"I never saw Klaus; I haven't seen him or Dominik since the day you ordered me to leave." Eric said realizing that any false move now and the information that was so close would be lost to him forever.

Christian looked confused he remembered that night he had seen Myra get out of the van her head down and Klaus taking her to his apartment on the grounds.

"But you knew she was here, she couldn't leave she had that agoraphobia, she wouldn't leave the house or receive visitors but he sent word for you to come get her. You never came." He looked his son in the eye and realized he knew nothing of this.

"Klaus is at your old cabin. He took it on after you left, he and Todd like to ski and they go for weekends."

Eric looked at his father, feeling nothing but pity for the old man. "Who is Todd's mother?" he asked already guessing the answer but hoping he was wrong.

"Myra… Eric I have a letter, Myra said one day you would come for it. She has asked me to carry it with me, may I?" He gestured to his coat. Eric nodded and he picked it up.

Eric took the letter, turned to Callen and Sam, "Can you watch him, this is the address Klaus is at tell him we have Christian. He'll come for him."

* * *

Eric sat at his favorite spot in the boat-shed, the top of the stairs and opened the letter.

Callen and Sam watched him as he read it tears streaming down his face eighteen years of emotion finding, its way out.

The stoic agents looked at each other before both reaching for their cell phones. "Kensi!" they said together, if anyone could deal with the crying analyst it was she, after all she was a girl.

"Yes." She replied from behind them, her and Deeks entering but moments ago.

"Eric!" they said in unison and pointed to him.

Kensi smiled at their distress and then walked up the stairs to where Eric was sitting.

She squatted down so she was at his level, "Eric are you ok?" she asked quietly.

"No…." Eric showed her the letter, "He raped her….my own brother told her I was selling her and he raped her…when she saw me…." Eric sobbed remembering the look of horror on his wife's face as he was handed that envelope in the car park that night. "She died thinking I hated her and she still apologized to me and said she loved me and Summer and she hoped if she was ever free that we could meet up again."

Kensi put a hand on Eric's shoulder but he shook it off. "How am I going to tell her…How do I tell Summer this happened to her mother and she thought I did it. Worse still how do I tell her she has a little brother." He looked up, looking more lost than she had ever seen him.

 


	5. Chapter 5

The more Eric looked at the paper the more he realized something was wrong he noticed a code Myra had written inside the letter.

Sam and Callen took Christian Beale in the other room and asked him more questions about the reason he thought that Niklas had taken Myra and what if anything this had to do with any naval government contracts.

Kensi sat watching Eric as Deeks kept an eye on the other two via video screen.

Kensi looked on concerned as Eric's face looked deep in thought.

"Son of a Bitch!" Eric cursed as he read the letter again.

"What?" Kensi and Deeks asked at the same time.

"I need to see him." Eric said pointing at his father but still not calling him by name.

* * *

Eric strode past them and opened the door.

"Did you know?" He asked his father directly.

Christian looked at his son.

"Did you know that Niklas was selling your defense secrets to the IRA and that Myra was taken to stop her father from betraying him and most importantly 'father'." He spat that word, "Did you know that Todd was MY son!"

Christian looked defeated. "I knew about Shamus, I met him after you left. He made the original deal with me, he wanted his daughter back."

Eric looked at his father with utter hatred, "I can forgive you for ruining my life, but my children's? I hope you rot in hell." Eric turned to go.

"Wait Erik" his father called.

"Unless what you are about to tell me pertains to this case, we have nothing to talk about."

"Karolin left me some things for you, and you should know the house is yours." Eric felt a tug at his heart at the mention of his mother. "All I want to hear from you is the real whereabouts of Niklas and I want to know if Dominik knew anything?"

Christian looked broken, "Dominik is dead." He said flatly.

Eric sat heavily on the chair, "When?" he asked.

"After your son was born, Myra convinced him to take them to you, Niklas caught them both that was the night he…he raped her after he had shot his brother. I could not let it get out; the scandal would have ruined the company. I had it dealt with."

Eric shook his head, "Years….I have spent years trying to find her, you knew where I was and you knew where she was and you couldn't tell me?"

"He is my son, my firstborn, my heir." Christian explained.

"And what am I?" Eric let his father see all the hurt he had caused him.

"You killed my wife." Christian said.

"I was a baby, it was not my fault!" Eric said.

Christian looked away he could not look Eric in the eye anymore. "Niklas is at the company, there is an apartment on the top floor, and he is there." Christian told him.

* * *

Eric, Sam and Callen drove to Beale Aeronautic Industries. Eric sat in the back rapidly going through all the information that they had on the company on his tablet.

They pulled up to a large glass building and walked up to the security guard on reception.

"We're here to see Niklas Beale." Callen said showing their badges.

"Mr. Beale does not see visitors today." The man with a thick German accent said.

"He will see me," Eric growled.

"You are?" the guard asked.

"Eric Beale, the man who can make your life disappear." He threatened he leant over the desk and pressed a button, "Klaus get your ass down here now!" Eric yelled into the security camera that he knew that his brother was watching him on.

The guard looked in surprise as a light in the elevator came on.

He looked again at Eric and noticed his resemblance to his boss. "I'm sorry sir?" he said quickly.

Eric picked up his tablet and typed furiously as the elevator made it's way down, "IRS have been informed as has the FBI the company is now under investigation." He told Callen and Sam.

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Remind me never to get on your bad side." He said.

* * *

"Erik!" Niklas said as he walked out of the elevator his arm around Todd's shoulders. Todd had his mothers red hair and was underweight and Eric could see the remnants of old bruising. Todd never said a word and kept his eyes on the floor at all times.

The stance his brother had taken was not lost on him, it said talk to me but one wrong word and I will hurt the boy.

Callen noticed the same things about Todd at the same time Eric did, "Mr. Beale you are under arrest for colluding with the IRA and possible Terrorism" He and Sam went to cuff him.

"You don't want to do that." Niklas said his hand on Todd's neck.

Todd yelped inadvertently and shook as Klaus tightened his grip.

Callen and Sam instantly raised their guns.

"Todd…." Eric said gently, "Todd, its ok, my name is Eric, its ok now you can come with me."

Todd looked up at him for the first time. He took two tentative steps away from Klaus fearing the other man's repercussions.

"You're Eric…Mom's Eric?" he asked carefully.

Eric nodded. Todd looked back as Callen and Sam handcuffed Klaus, As soon as Todd felt Klaus was not a danger he looked up at Eric again.

"Daddy?" He asked the hope he was right was evident in his voice.

Eric opened his arms and Todd ran into his arms.

"You're mine boy! You stay away from him!" Klaus yelled.

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere safe." Eric said softly.

Klaus laughed, "There is nowhere safe boy, and I'll find you." Todd visibly flinched but followed Eric.

Kensi pulled up and looked out of the window, "Hetty said you needed a ride." She said to Eric.

Eric smiled, "Yeah, great timing." He said.

Callen and Sam put the screaming Niklas in their car, "We will take him in and deal with him," Callen told Eric, "You deal with your son,"

"Ok Callen, I'm taking Todd to the hospital can you bring Summer to the hospital to meet us?" He asked.

"Sure Eric," Callen replied.

"Oh Callen?" Eric said, "To get Summer to open the door you have to say 'And crème' or she won't open it."

Callen grinned "OK," he said and they left.

Eric turned his attention to Todd, "I need to get you to a hospital to get you checked out." He said

Todd pulled away, "No! I'm sorry I'll be good….no hospitals….I don't want to see him again please sir!" He looked up at Eric tears filling his eyes and shaking uncontrollably. Kensi put her hand on Todd's shoulder to comfort the boy and he screamed, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Eric waited outside his son's room while the doctors checked him out. He had checked his phone for the umpteenth time when Summer came in the door with Callen and Sam.

She flung her arms around her dad in a move that always reminded Eric of Abby Scuito from Washington.

"Summer, you're crushing me!" He gasped.

She stepped back, "I'm sorry. Callen told me about Todd, is it true? Do I have a brother?" she asked.

Eric nodded "He's in a bad way right now; the person that had him wasn't kind to him. The doctors are looking at him now." He told her.

She walked up to the door and peaked in. "Aww dad he's cute." She said with a grin.

* * *

Eric turned to Sam, "I take it you dealt with Niklas? There is a file on my tablet…." Eric bent down to go through his bag, "Sorry guys, what with Todd, I forgot. This links the company to Shamus O'Conner and his links to the IRA, Where Beale Aeronautic Industries have been dealing with the US government, Niklas Beale was also using his contacts to buy weapons and ship them to contacts that Shamus knew and he was sending them back to Ireland." He pulled up the file and sent it to Callen and Sam's phones plus a copy to Nell for the office.

"We will need to get a warrant to go in there and search all the files properly, what you have now is great but I wouldn't want some lawyer to get them out on a technicality," Callen warned him.

"No you don't this is all above board. With Christian and Klaus in custody and Dominik dead, I own the company….I can access my own files legally at any time." Eric said flatly.

Sam and Callen looked at him stunned. "You own it!" they said together.

"It's one of the few truly family owned multimillion dollar companies left, Christian vowed never to sell stock in the company, and he's never had too."

"You know this could destroy the company," Callen said worried for his friend.

"Nope, I plan on firing everyone involved, those who need to be prosecuted are all yours guys, I'll sort out the IRS and any problems there too. Ummm? I may have to take two weeks off." He said thinking to himself.

"Are you going to leave us Eric?" Sam asked.

"Na… I love my job and you people are family. But I won't run my mothers company into the ground."

"I thought your father owned it?" Callen said.

"Nope, He's not even German, He took on everything that was my mothers, he's from Oklahoma she met him at just after the war ended in Germany and they came over here with her parents. However, Schmidt Enterprises in a post war USA would not have had the same appeal so they used Christian's surname. He only learned the language for show." He smiled a bit.

Summer walked back over to them with four cans of soda, "here guys," she said handing them out. She sat next to her dad and opened her laptop.

"What are you doing, I want you to head back to the mission with Callen and Sam." Eric said hoping they would help.

"Dad, I'm a grown woman and my little brother is in the other room, I have no intentions of going anywhere." She said.

"Summer." Eric said his voice low and grumbling.

"Father," Summer jumped to her feet her temper flaring, she stood with her hand on her hips and glared at him, "I am not leaving here until I know my little brother is going to be well!"

Eric groaned and run a hand across his face, "You'd better go guys, she isn't going to move," He turned away from her "Flippin Irish genetics," He grumbled with a slight smile under his breath.

* * *

A doctor walking towards them drew their attention. "Family of Todd Beale?" He asked.

"I'm his father." Eric said standing up.

The doctor looked at him sternly.

"You….Don't get to go anywhere near him! I'm calling security." He snapped.

"Wait!" Callen said, "Eric only found out he was his father yesterday, he isn't the man who caused Todd's injuries." He said as Eric had stepped back shocked. Callen showed him his credentials and explained that Eric worked for the Federal Government.

"I'm sorry the boy was clearly showing fear for his father when we were treating him earlier, I understand that you are a federal Agent Sir," The doctor said turning to Callen, "But until I am sure this man is no danger to my patient I insist he is accompanied whilst visiting him."

"Please come with us, I just need to see he's ok…What happened to him?" Eric asked the doctor.

"From what the x-rays are showing us your son has suffered extensive beatings and multiple fractures that have been untreated over the years." The doctor said giving a sidelong glance at Eric. He had to admit, even though he thought the man was guilty he had never seen such a reaction in an abusive parent, Eric went pale and clung to the desk he couldn't hold back the tears that overwhelmed him.

"K…Klaus physically hurt him?" Eric voice shook, "Did he….was he…" Eric was too scared to ask the question.

"We could not see any sign of sexual assault. But he has been starved, he is malnourished and dehydrated and we think there may have been verbal abuse with the boy, he is severely traumatized and will need counseling."

Eric sat heavily in a chair, "He's going to be ok though….Right?" he asked.

The doctor smiled. "With your help, and barring anymore contact with whoever was hurting him, he's going to be fine."

He guided Eric and Callen to Todd's room, Sam and Summer sat outside as the other two went in.

* * *

Todd lay on the bed, looking a lot younger than the fifteen years that he was.

He opened his eyes slowly, and looked around the room for an escape route before settling on the two men.

"You're here?" he whispered.

Eric nodded and sat beside him. "How are you feeling son?" He asked. He wanted to hold Todd's hand but Callen had advised him to let Todd reach out to him.

"Tired….is it over…do the police have Sir?" he asked.

"Klaus is in custody and he's never getting out." Eric told him. Todd lay back and closed his eyes in relief.

"Dad…I have two messages for you from mom." Todd said, he stopped as his body was wracked by a violent coughing fit.

"Just rest." Eric told him.

Todd maneuvered himself up onto his elbows, "NO! Mama told me I was to give this message to you as soon as it was safe; she made me learn it by heart for years." He coughed again.

Eric sat back and let him continue, "She said to say she loved you and never Klaus, Klaus had a file 367-596-7745 on his laptop it is important you need to see it and tell the police. She missed you and Summer?" Todd breathed getting his strength back, "Is Summer a season or a person, mom would never tell me she'd just get sad and hug me."

Eric wrote the file number on his tablet and sent it to Nell. "Todd, Summer is your sister."

"Oh." Todd said flatly. He had hoped for a moment that his dad had come to save him, he had always dreamed that his real dad would come and take him away from Klaus, but if he already had a family…..

Eric saw Todd reaction and was confused by it, Callen however instantly knew what was going through Todd's mind.

"Todd, your sister is older than you, Eric wants you to come live with him….he would have come and got you earlier if he had known about you." He said and Todd instantly brightened.

"You…you would have?" he asked

"In a heartbeat, I've been looking for your mother all these years, if I had known where either of you were I would have gotten you away from him…I love you son." Eric said.

Todd looked down not meeting his eyes, "But you don't know me, I'm useless, a waste of space." He mumbled.

Eric looked at Callen who nodded encouraging him. "I want to get to know you, but I can already tell you are not useless and I am proud to be your father."

Todds eyes lit up and for the first time, Todd trusted an adult and relaxed.

 


	7. Chapter 7

As Todd fell back into an exhausted sleep, Eric ushered Callen out of the room.

"I need to get into that file if Nell can't. If Myra made Todd learn that message then that file is important. If it has evidence that Klaus and BAI were dealing with the IRA then we need to know." Eric said.

Callen called OPS and confirmed that Nell did indeed have the file number.

"Yes I have it I need to get into BAI's mainframe…I'm using Christian Beale's access….hold on…." Nell said as she ran her password cracker program.

"OH!" She exclaimed as the password flashed up on screen.

"Is there a problem?" Eric asked worried they could not get in.

"Oh no, I'm in its just Christian's password….it was Eric." She said wishing she could see her partners face to be there and support him.

"Ok." Eric said flatly and shrugged, "No imagination I guess." He said, "So the file number….it's 367-596-7745 it should be in the main file server."

"I know…..hang on." Nell said Eric could hear her typing, "Got it!" she was quiet as the file opened and pages of information flowed over the big screen.

"Oh dear, Mr. Callen, I need you and Mr. Hanna back here as soon as possible, there is an arm's shipment, due for the 3rd Battalion 11th Marines regiment in Afghanistan, that is being rerouted to the IRA. Mr. Beale. I may need your services as well, is your son well enough to be left alone?" Hetty asked.

"No, I'll get Summer to sit with him and be on my way." Eric told her.

"Very well, I would like permission to talk with Young Mr. Beale's physician." Hetty said.

"I'll set it up before I leave." Eric said and handed the phone to Callen.

He walked out to the waiting room where Sam and Summer were sitting.

"Sam, Callen needs you we have a case….Summer, I need a favor Hun." He said Summer nodded and he went to talk to her as Sam went to find Callen.

* * *

All three of them walked into Ops as Nell was putting the information up on the screen.

"BAI was organizing a shipment which on paper was sending a M777 which is a lightweight 155 millimeter Howitzer to Afghanistan, however we managed to backtrack the order, the 3rd Battalion had one delivered a week ago, this is a duplicate order that Klaus created using the same paperwork, it's being shipped via RAF Lakenheath in Norfolk, England. We think it is then to be, picked up and re routed to Ireland."

"Have you sent the information to LEIE?" Hetty asked Nell.

"Yes, Law Enforcement Information Exchange got the information and will be liaising with the UK's Scotland Yard to close down the terrorist cell their end. We need to find out who was helping Klaus Beale on this end. He is due to meet someone called, John Murphy who knows Shamus O'Conner. Looking at Klaus's file these two have never met."

Callen looked at Eric, "You look like your brother, and you have the same sort of mannerisms?"

"No…..NO WAY!" Eric said.

"Mr. Beale I do believe the best way of bringing this terrorist cell down is if you pose as your brother. We can easily add a few years on you." Hetty said with a slight smile.

"Like this won't!" Eric exclaimed.

Hetty ignored her senior technical analyst's outburst and continued. "You will be meeting Mr. Murphy at the Twenty-nine palms base in San Bernardino County."

Eric sighed he knew he could not get out of this, "Why couldn't it have been Dominik we looked nothing alike."

"Dominik?" Nell asked overhearing his whisper,

"Other brother, dead now." Eric breathed back.

"Mr. Beale!" Hetty called in a singsong voice and Eric mouthed 'HELP!' at Nell and walked out as she chuckled.

* * *

By the time Eric had caught up with Hetty in wardrobe, she already had a suit picked out.

"Urrgh!" Eric shuddered, "I hate suits."

Hetty looked at him, "I always wondered why you insisted on wearing those surfer shorts of yours."

"Suits meant money and money meant my dad and Klaus and Nik. All the things I had lost." Eric said candidly. "Shorts meant freedom, surfing, Myra and Summer, All the things I love."

"Well for the good of your Country Mr. Beale, you need to wear a suit." Hetty said and handed a charcoal grey Armani suit. Eric took it and the shoes and disappeared into the waiting room.

When he walked out both Kensi and Nell were standing next to Hetty with the others close by.

"WOW!" The girls said together while Hetty nodded,

"Mr. Beale, you wear that well." She said proudly.

"Thanks Hetty," Eric said as he put in his contact lenses, "Klaus doesn't wear glasses, so I got my contacts out."

As Eric stood up again, the others could see the rich breeding in him as he channeled his older brother.

The boys were impressed as Eric reached over and grabbed a phone. "Jameson, It's Klaus, I need a pick up from this address," He snapped sounding exactly like him, he gave the driver the address. "So I guess I'm going home." He sighed as he put the phone down.

"Yes Mr. Beale with your new secretary Ms Blye." Kensi grabbed a bag and walked out of wardrobe looking every inch the corporate secretary.

Just before they left, Eric walked into Hetty's office.

"Can you check on Todd and let my kids know as much as you can what I'm up to…." He sat across from her desk, finally catching his breath.

"I'm going to have to get a bigger trailer…" he said money juggling in his head.

"Don't worry about that Mr. Beale, just keep your mind focused on the mission and I will check in with young Mr. Beale and Miss Beale and make sure they have Mr. Hanna and Mr. Callen watching over them tonight."

"Thanks Hetty." Eric said, he stopped as his cell phone rang and instantly slipped into character as Klaus. "Ms. Martinez, Our car is here,"

Kensi grabbed her bag and followed 'Klaus' out of the door.

* * *

Arriving at the house all was quiet.

"I called the house, Klaus and I sound the same on the phone, Gave the staff a few days off as I'm going away." He told Kensi.

She just walked into the house behind him and stood in the main lobby with her mouth agape.

"You grew up here!" she breathed awed.

Eric shrugged, "It's just my parent's house."

Eric showed Kensi to her room, which Kensi had to admit, was bigger than her apartment.

Then he showed her the kitchen, where Eric found enough groceries to make a meal.

"Wow you cook?" Kensi was surprised.

"Yeah?" Eric was confused.

"I always though rich people ate take out." She smiled teasing him.

"Nope, never did when I was rich, can't afford it now I'm poor."

"You are?" She looked at him with pity.

"Kensi, don't. I knew what I was giving up for Myra and I have never regretted my choice, I will love her till the day I die and she gave me two wonderful children, I wouldn't swap that for all of my fathers money…and I did!" He said with a smile.

She went back to her room to rest for the morning and as soon as the house was quiet, he took the time to look around.

Eric put his bag in Klaus' room and took the time to look in Todd's room and make a mental note of what he could fit in his trailer that his son needed. Then without thinking, he found himself standing outside of his old room.

He reached up and rested his hand on the doorknob; did he want to know what his father had turned his room into after he had thrown him out?

 


	8. Chapter 8

Eric opened the door.

He was not surprised to find the room stripped bare. All traces of him had been thrown out years ago. What did surprise him was the small leather case on the bare bed and a letter with his name on stuck to the top.

'ERIC'

He opened the envelope and a key fell out.

This is for you my son, I know that if you got this then the doctors were right and I would not live past your birth.

I just need you to know that I have loved you ever since I knew I was carrying you and I put this trunk together for you for your 18th birthday.

I hope that today your 18th birthday is a wonderful one and that your father and brothers make it as special for you as Niklas and Dominick's 18th birthdays were. I knew there was a chance that I would not be here to watch you grow up into the responsible young man that I know you will one day become. Nevertheless, I could not deny you the life I hope that you lead. Do not let your father pressure you into joining the company; I know he has wanted all his sons to go into the business. If, my son you wish to live your life, take the opportunity live it to the fullest.

Inside this case are all the things I could find that I wanted to share with you, my love of art and music, my love of surfing…A joy I have discovered since moving to America. Although I could not fit my surfboard in there, I have the plans to my original one, which you may like to have rebuilt. I hope you will one day find someone to love as much as I loved your father.

I hope you enjoy learning about me this way.

My love through eternity,

Your loving mother

Karolyn.

Eric's eyes misted as he looked at his mother's handwriting.

* * *

He picked up the suitcase and took it downstairs to the kitchen where Kensi was sat drinking a coffee.

"What's that?" Kensi asked.

"Something from my mother." Eric said taking the coffee Kensi offered and absently stroking the case with his other hand.

"You gonna open it?" Kensi asked.

"I don't know…I mean I don't want my head to get clouded and compromise the investigation." Eric said.

"That's tomorrow Eric. Today you can open it, I hear you have a pool that I'd love to check out," Kensi said discreetly offering him alone time.

"Down the hall third door on the left," he said waving his hand in that general direction.

She nodded and he grabbed the case and took it to the sitting room.

* * *

A few hours later, Kensi walked through, "Eric, it's 2am and we have that big meet tomorrow, you should be getting to bed."

"Thanks Kensi…" Eric stopped and reached behind the sofa, He pulled out a sleeping bag.

Kensi looked at him, "Don't you have your own room here still?" she asked.

"There was nothing in it but this case….anyway I can't sleep in there and I'm not sleeping in his room." Eric said not indicating whether he meant his brother or father's room.

Kensi nodded "Ok what about the other spare room?"

"Nope, I have somewhere to sleep Kensi." Eric told her.

"What on the sofa the night before an op?" she said, she hated pushing him, but if they were going to pull this off, she needed him to be focused and rested.

"No, I have somewhere to sleep." He insisted grabbing his sleeping bag and climbing the stairs.

Kensi followed thinking he was going to the bedrooms until he opened a door to another set of stairs.

"Where you going?" she asked out of curiosity

"My real room, the one no one knew about." Eric admitted. "Wanna see?" he asked knowing how corny it was that he'd just asked Kensi to check out his room. Kensi knowing Eric did not mean anything untoward followed him up the stairs.

"Being the youngest meant while the others were being boring I needed a space of my own and I found this place when I was five." He said opening a door at the top of the stairs.

Even though he had not been in here for years he knew that one of the housekeepers Carmella, the only one who knew this room existed had kept it dusted and aired.

He flicked a switch and Kensi looked, awed, "WOW!" she breathed.

The room was like an old-fashioned version of OPS. It was she realized; the original blueprint for the room in which Eric now worked. In the corner was an old style metal bed with a dust sheet over it. Eric removed it and lay his sleeping bag down on top of it.

"You like?" he asked with a grin as the computers all started up with one button.

"You built this?" she asked.

Eric grinned, "Do you remember when I said I first came on Hetty's radar when I broke the internet….I did it here." He admitted. "This was my bolt hole growing up. I learnt all of my tech skills here." He admitted.

Kensi smiled, "Well, Mr. Beale, I'm off to get some sleep. I will meet you in the kitchen at ten. Don't stay up too late." She laughed as she left.

Eric lay back on the bed and with the sound of computers whirring away in the background he soon fell asleep.

* * *

At exactly Ten am, the two of them were ready to go.

The car pulled up and Kensi looking every inch the personal assistant walked with Eric to the car.

"Morning Sir," The driver said.

"Jameson." Eric said getting in the back.

They pulled up at twenty-nine palms Marine base and Eric got out and stood by the car. Kensi stood near him flustering over a schedule as another car pulled up and a large Irish man got out.

"Klaus Beale?" he said his thick accent rolling off his tongue.

"You John Murphy, Sheamus speaks highly of you." Eric said.

The men shook hands.

"Do you have it?" Murphy asked.

Eric snapped his fingers, "Ms. Johnson."

Kensi ran round, "Yes Sir," She handed him an IPAD and he tapped a few keys.

"Damn I can't work these things," He complained.

John smiled, "Yes I remember Shamus saying it was your little brother that was a technical whiz."

"We don't speak of him," Eric said allowing his slight German accent to come to the fore,

"Yes he said." John took the form from Kensi. "May I?" He asked.

Kensi looked to Eric who gave a curt nod.

"Yes, here you go, the money has been transferred and the good will be mine in a week?" he asked.

"Nope." Eric said all trace of accent gone.

"No? What is this?" John asked moving back as Kensi produced her gun.

"John Murphy you are under arrest for Arms trafficking and international terrorism."

"Klaus….You're a Fed?" he asked stunned.

"No….Klaus is not a Federal Agent, I am." Eric grinned as Kensi grabbed her Ziploc ties and cuffed him waiting for Sam and Callen to come and pick him up.

Jameson stood there awed. "Mr. Klaus?" he asked not sure of what he was seeing, he had seen Klaus many times and never had this happened.

Eric turned and looked at the man, "I'm sorry Jameson I should have told you, I'm not Klaus, I'm Eric."

Jameson's eyes grew wide and the old man took a second look at the man he had known as a boy. "Master Erik? Really?" he was stunned and threw his arms around him.

Another car pulled up and Callen and Sam got out looking at Kensi who was holding the suspect and Eric who was holding the chauffeur.

"He good to go?" Sam asked.

"Yep, Eric had the IPAD record the entire conversation so we have enough on him plus this transaction." Kensi said.

The old man had released his hold on Eric, "Master Erik, where to sir?" he asked.

Eric looked uncomfortable, "I need to pick something up from the house before we release Christian and he bans me from there again."

Callen turned to him, "We need to process Murphy, and you have three hours that long enough?" He asked.

Eric nodded, "Home James!" he said with a grin as the old man playfully swatted at his head.

"You young pup!" he smiled and climbed in the car.

The other three agents smiled at seeing a glimpse of the Eric they all knew and loved and hope that whatever he had gone back to the house to collect would give him closure.

Callen sent a quick text and the others got in the car to take John Murphy to the boatshed.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Eric ran out of the car and up the steps. Jamieson followed somewhat slower.

Carla the maid moved out of the way as he ran up the steps followed by Kensi and Deeks, "Mr. Klaus is everything alright?" She asked.

Jamieson put a hand on Carla, It's not Klaus it's Erik. Carla's hands flew to her mouth. "Mr. Erik! You shouldn't be here... if your father catches you?" she said worriedly.

Eric smiled and continued to run upstairs. Jamieson explained, "I need the staff, we have three hours to find everything of Mr. Erik's and get it out of the house."

Kensi and Deeks stood for a second as the small Hispanic woman launched into action. She let out a huge whistle. And the staff came running.

Kensi and Deeks laughed, "Did you teach Eric that?" Kensi asked.

Carla nodded her head, "We do not have an intercom system and this was the quickest way to find Mr. Erik." As if on cue Erik skidded to the top of the stairs, "Carla?"

"I'm getting you help, we'll have you properly packed and out of here in an hour and a half." She promised, Eric knowing her legendary timekeeping nodded.

"Now, Mr. Erik; that monstrosity that has been sucking up my electric for years, Can you safely remove it?" She asked. Eric pulled a remote control out of his pocket and pressed a button.

"Yes Ma'am," Eric let out a lopsided grin.

Carla rolled her eyes, "Very well, Mr. Erik. One moment;" She said as she turned to the staff. "For those of you who don't know this is Mr. Erik. Mr. Christian's youngest son, Mr. Christian will be back in three hours, Rooms 12, 14 and 15 have Mr. Erik's belongings stored in I need everything out of the house in an hour and a half, Everything else stops. This is top priority." She said.

For the next hour and a half the house was a hive of activity, by the time it was over everything of Eric's had been packed moved and placed into a U-Haul Jamieson had rented. Eric stopped to say goodbye to the staff.

Those that didn't know him as a child had gone back to work. Carla, Jamieson and Diego, the groundskeeper all stayed to wish him well. "Mr. Erik, this is yours as well, we kept it hidden in the hopes that you would come back someday." Carla handed him an envelope. "It's from your mother, your share of your inheritance, Mr. Klaus tried to get it from the bank, but we hid it….It is about $15million dollars." She said shyly.

"I don't need this!" Eric exclaimed stunned.

"For your children, your mother would have loved you very much, she was so excited to be pregnant with you and we all knew Myra as well, Mr. Klaus was a tyrant and was so mean to the boy, we kept him safe as much as we could. We are so glad he is your son…you look after him Mr. Eric, Todd is a sensitive and sweet boy in spite of what Mr. Klaus did to him." Carla said.

Eric hugged her and the two Federal Agents and their Technical Analyst left the house for the last time.

Eric handed the keys to Deeks, "I have one more thing to pick up, Can you drive this back to the mission, I'll head to the hospital, I need to see my kids." Eric said.

Deeks and Kensi got in the car and started to pull out as Eric shot past them on a Ducati.

"Oh my God!" Deeks breathed in awe at the sight of the Motorcycle screaming down the driveway.

Eric breathed a sigh of relief as he swept out of the driveway finally putting that part of his life behind him.

* * *

Summer had been with her brother for over 24 hours and having had no word from her father was worried but tried not to show it. She sat in Todd's room as they gave him his antibiotics in a drip and they fed him to get some weight on his body. She read to him and taught him a few card games and the more time she spent with him, the more she decided that she loved her little brother.

Hetty came in and Summer looked up as Todd tensed.

"Ms Lange. Is my father ok?" She asked.

"Yes Miss Beale, He's finished his assignment and had gone back to the house to collect a few things before we release your grandfather, your father has just left and will be here soon." She said.

Although Todd was talking to Summer and Eric, he hadn't said a word to any of his doctors or to Hetty even though she had talked to him he had just looked at her his eyes pleading for her to understand that he wasn't able to speak to them. Hetty in her way had understood and had directed the doctors to talk to either herself, Eric or Summer.

Todd was looking forward to seeing his father again, Years of living with Klaus were not going to go away overnight and if he ever saw Klaus again it would be too soon. But his mother, when Klaus wasn't around had filled his head with stories of his father, how Eric would have been proud of him, how he played with his sister and how his father was kind, where Klaus was cruel and would always protect Todd as soon as he found them. She would tell him of how their life had been before she had been taken by Klaus, of the surfing and the small apartment they had shared and the picnics they'd had on the beach as a family. His imagination was filled with what life could be like and he hoped that his father would live up to the mental image his mother had given him. He had to admit that Eric seemed to be nice so far, however Todd hadn't been alone with Eric yet and he did worry about how he would be without witnesses around.

Eric walked in through the doors and dropped the crash helmet onto the chair just inside the door. Summer and Todd looked up, "Hey!" Eric smiled at his kids, "How you doing?" he asked them.

"Todd's thrashing my ass at snap and I already owe him surfing lessons!" Summer mock grumbled which caused Todd to smile a bit but he quickly hid it.

Eric smiled, "Sorry Sum, you get your card playing skills from me, looks like Todd has inherited your mother's skill."

Summer smirked, she knew what her dad was doing bolstering her little brother's self esteem. She liked the fact that after an initial jolt as Eric entered Todd did seem to have calmed down.

"Hetty, would you like to come with me to find Todd something to eat?" Summer asked needing a break and knowing that Todd would need to talk to their father and wouldn't do so while she was there.

Hetty nodded, "Of course Miss Beale. I could use a decent cup of tea." She said and they left the room.

Todd sat up straighter and shuffled the cards he held in his hands, trying not to look too afraid.

"So you beat your sister in snap then?" Eric asked with a small grin.

"I…I'm sorry!" Todd breathed looking intently at his hands.

Eric panicked, where Callen and his insight were when he needed it he'd never know; Nope Todd was his son and he would handle this. "It's ok; Summer can't win everything just because she's your sister."

Todd tried to still the shaking that started, when he got scared with Klaus he'd make a mistake and it would result in him getting hit.

Eric sat on the bed and held out his arms. "I am never going to hurt you Todd. I promise…I am not my brother but I am your father and I want to be there for you."

Todd looked up, "Are you keeping me?" He asked.

"Am I…..?" Eric looked stunned, "Where on earth would you get an idea like that?" He couldn't believe his son thought he would even consider abandoning him.

"I'm sorry." Todd mumbled and looked back at the card pushing down the despair that threatened to overwhelm him.

Eric looked up as the doctor walked in to do his check up. He stood back as his phone rang. Taking the call he turned to Todd, "I have to go for a while, Summer will be back soon, will you be ok?" he asked.

"Sure I'll be fine." Todd answered and pulled out a weak smile as Eric left.

* * *

Callen sat out the front of the hospital, "I'm sorry to pull you away from your kids, but you forgot to give us the address to move all your junk too?" Callen smirked.

"It's not junk…shit, I need somewhere big enough for all three of us to live." Eric said distractedly. "I have my inheritance, will you come with me?" Eric asked.

Callen nodded and Eric climbed into Callen's car and fired off a text to Summer as they headed to the realtors.

Eric was surprised that they managed to find the perfect house, on the beach and ready to move in within two hours of arriving although Callen felt it was just because Eric offered cash for the property.

"Callen….Can I ask you a question?" Eric asked as they drove back to the mission.

"Sure?" Callen said

"Todd asked me something and it's bugging me…He asked if I was keeping him?" Eric said.

Callen gripped the steering wheel tighter. "And you said?" His voice was guarded.

"I was shocked, how could he not think I wouldn't keep him he's my son!" Eric said. Callen pulled up to the side of the road and turned to Eric.

"What did you say to him?" Callen reiterated.

"I…I didn't say much of anything, the doctor came in and you called and then I left." Eric admitted.

Callen threw the car into a u turn and headed in the direction of the hospital.

"What?" Eric asked worried at the change in his friend's demeanor.

"Your son is scared to death, he's been in an abusive relationship with a man who was his father figure, and he gets the guts, in his own way to ask if it's ok not to be scared anymore and YOU LEAVE!" Callen exclaimed, Madder than Eric had ever seen him. "Kids need to know there world is safe, when it isn't and the nightmare is finally over they need to be told its ok…I just hope your son hasn't done anything stupid!" Callen told his friend.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Callen, driving down the PCH and not willing to talk to Eric pulled up sharply and pointed "There!" he said.

Eric was ashamed to say he would have missed it if he had been driving. A small boy in oversized jeans, a grubby T-shirt and carrying a bag tightly to his chest was keeping his head down and shuffling along the side of the road.

"Todd?" Eric said getting a better look at the boy. "How did you know to look for him? We left him at the hospital."

"Because he's doing exactly what I would have done. You didn't tell him he was wanted, which in his mind says he's not. So he's doing the only thing he can do which is to remove himself from the situation and fine somewhere else." Callen snapped.

"Of course I want him!" Eric exclaimed. "He's my son!"

"Tell him that!" Callen said. "Think Eric, what did you do when your father didn't want you…he threw you out did you stay?"

Eric realized Callen was right. He had left and started again, but he had been 17 and had had Myra with him.

"How do I make this right?" He asked Callen as they watched the child shuffle painfully along the sidewalk.

"Get out of the car….go talk to him, tell him you want him, I'll call the hospital we'll swing by and pick up Summer and then you can take him home. Tell him you're taking him to your home...Do NOT tell him you're taking him home. He needs specifics; he needs to know he's safe and that Klaus won't get him."

* * *

Eric got out of the car and walked up behind Todd who hadn't even noticed him.

"You wanna rest a bit?" Eric asked.

Todd yelped as he realized he was being talked to.

"I'm sorry; I'm going as fast as I can." Todd said assuming Eric was there to tell him that he should have been gone by now.

"Where are you going?" Eric asked.

Todd stopped, "Away." He said not understanding the question. "Like you wanted."

"Did I say that?" Eric asked his voice even and his heart breaking for his son.

"I….."

Eric gently held his son's arms, "I love you, you are my son and you are important, I want you to live with me and be the part of my family that you should always have been. I will NEVER let anyone hurt you again. I promise." He said looking his son in the eye.

Todd looked hopefully at his father and cried as Eric pulled him into his embrace, "Your safe son, it's all over." Eric said.

Callen leaning against the car looked away at the moment he himself longed for but would never get. He got out his phone and called Hetty telling her of the situation and giving them the address of the new house Eric had brought.

"Can you arrange for Todd to be discharged and for Eric's bike to be delivered to the new house and you and Summer can meet us there, I think Eric needs to take his son home." He said to Hetty.

"Very well Mr. Callen. Are you ok?" she asked concerned for him.

"This is a good day Hetty, I'm going to drop them home now." He said.

He leant by the car as Eric and Todd talked.

* * *

A police car pulled up behind him and he turned as the policeman got out.

"Is there a problem sir?" The officer said.

Callen turned and walked over to him showing him his badge. "Just my partner's kid, he's been through a lot as they just got reunited the other day,"

"Is that Todd Beale?" The officer asked, "He was reported missing from the hospital an hour ago."

"Yeah, that's his father Eric Beale." Callen said. "Todd's in a fragile emotional state right now, my boss, Hetty Lange is signing him out at the hospital now, so you should hear from them soon."

"Hetty Lange? You guys work with Deeks then?" the officer asked.

Callen smiled, "Yep."

"Pat Johansson," the officer said introducing himself. "Deeks is a good guy, gets shit on a lot, but a straight up honest cop. I'll let dispatch know the kids been found. You guys need anything else?" Pat asked.

Callen shook his head, "Nope gonna take them home in a sec."

Pat nodded and turned away, "Oh before I forget, Tell Deeks I said, Thanks,"

"Sure," Callen replied, "What for?"

"He's been reading to my kid, she's in the cancer ward at the same hospital as his mom. He's been stopping by once a week and she loves his visits."

Gob smacked Callen nodded. Pat waved and got back into his patrol car.

As he left Eric and Todd walked over. "Everything ok?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, just a friend of Deeks' saying hi…So." He said turning to Todd, "You ready to see your new home?" He asked

Todd nodded and Eric opened the car door for him to get in.

"I squared it away with Hetty, you guys just need to go home, and Todd has to pick his room after all."

Todd looked up at Callen "I do?"

Eric smiled, "I think I have the perfect room for you but you'll have to tell me if you like it."

By the time they arrived, Deeks and Kensi and a team of people Deeks had rounded up from the LA office were helping move stuff into the new house.

"Hey Eric!" Deeks called.

"Deeks, thanks for this man," Eric said stunned.

Deeks took Eric aside, "I know you probably wanted Todd to pick his room, but I figured if you didn't then this might do?"

He showed Eric the room he had already hoped Todd would have, it was light and airy and had a huge floor to ceiling picture window that looked out over the ocean. Eric noticed the surf board in the corner.

"Where did that come from?" He asked.

"It was one I had lying about, if you don't want it…." Deeks said.

Eric smiled, "Thanks man Todd's going to love it." He hoped.

Todd looked around the house, it was smaller than his grandfathers home and more airy although he had spent most of his life with his mother in the basement so it was a vast improvement.

Eric noticed Todd and called him over.

"This could be your room?" He suggested.

"It's huge!" Todd breathed.

"Not so much, but it has a great view and the door locks as well," Eric said knowing Todd would want to feel safe.

Todd walked quietly across the room and sat cross legged at the window looking out to the ocean.

"Thanks Dad." He said with the biggest smile on his face "I'll be able to see the stars." More than anything on nights locked up in the basement with his mother she had told him all about the stars, he'd never seen them till his first night in hospital, but then he could only see one or two, Summer said there were millions and they were easy to see at the beach, she had talked to him about the stars until he had fallen asleep last night. His mother promised if anything happened to her she would watch him from the stars. Klaus had told him he'd never see stars or his mother again after she died.

A tear rolled down his face, Eric saw it and was worried he'd upset Todd again.

"You ok?" he asked crouching down next to his son.

"I love you dad." Todd said simply.

Callen who had been leaning against the door watching them gave a small smile and walked away, father and son would eventually be fine.

 


	11. Chapter 11

It had been six months since Todd, Summer and Eric Beale moved into their new house.

Though Eric and his father were still not close, However with Klaus in jail and with Christian having to sit through the entire trial, he had finally found a place where they had agreed to disagree, but were not fighting anymore. Christian had turned over Klaus' 50% share in BAI to Eric, although Eric had agreed to be a silent partner but had told his father that he would be keeping an eye on all electronic business the company did and one wrong move and he would be intervening. Christian for his part had been able to save his wife's company by informing the other shareholders that one of the major shareholders of Beale Aeronautic Industries was none other than a Federal Employee; that had calmed the shareholders and the company had been saved. Having cleared it with Director Vance and SecNav, with the promise that he would not have anything to do with any deals between the US government and his company, Eric had been allowed to continue working for NCIS and have his stake in his mother's company.

Summer was still at UCLA and with the new money her father had inherited she had been able to upgrade all her equipment and catch up with her studies and improve her grades.

Todd was seeing Nate twice a week, but had settled into the local high school and even had a few friends. His nightmares had lessened and he had discovered a keen interest in Astronomy, Hetty in her infinite wisdom had arranged for him to go with her to Griffith Observatory and study with an Astronomer friend of hers, which he had found really exciting and had talked about it for days. Also with the added support of his dad and the team Todd was it seemed a big talker he loved to talk about things although mostly he talked to Callen for hours on end, about his interests, which included surfing and a newfound love for the TV series Supernatural. He loved technology as well and after school would take the bus to NCIS and spend the afternoon in the mission doing his homework and checking out some of the latest gadgets Hetty had brought for the boy. He and Hetty had hit it off and He would spend hours with the woman he had come to consider his grandma, (Although he was never daft enough to call her that.) She in turn would tell him stories of her younger days, complete with a gadget or souvenir for him to look at.

Eric himself, not having a secret anymore had changed in his friends eyes, he wasn't the geek they had thought him to be, granted he was still a geek, but now they saw him as a father as well, he was more mature, even his board short had been relegated to the closet and he had relented to his children's demands and had started wearing Jeans to work. (Much to the pleasure of his workmates.)

However the bits of Eric that made him quintessentially Eric remained, the high pitched annoying whistling, which he used at home to rally his kids in the morning was still heard throughout the bullpen when they had a case and he still tried to sneak Oreo's into the OPS center when Hetty wasn't looking.

* * *

This morning however things were a bit different.

Eric came in grinning and grabbed Callen by the arm. Sam looked surprised as Callen would usually never allow him to be grabbed that way, although in recent months he and Eric had developed a strange friendship. "It's here!" Eric hissed to Callen to get his attention.

"Where?" Callen asked trying and failing to keep the excitement out of his voice.

"Outside." Eric said.

Callen grinned like a schoolboy. "Can I see?" he asked.

Sam looked up as Eric nodded and Callen bolted for the door.

Grabbing his gun and fearing trouble Sam, Kensi and Deeks all followed.

Outside on the forecourt was a fully restored, 1967 Chevy Impala, in black. Callen stood there grinning like a lunatic.

"OH MY GOD ERIC!" Callen said, "It's perfect."

Callen ran his hand over the paintwork and the cream leather upholstery. "Where did you find it?"

"I picked it up a month ago, it was nearly finished, and it just needed the interior reupholstering and a new paint job to make it the right color."

Callen grabbed the keys and walked to the trunk. "Did you?" He asked and then he opened it to see a devils trap on the roof. "OH MY GOD! That's so awesome….He's going to love it."

"Who?" Sam asked as Kensi and Deeks stood behind Callen, trying not to laugh at Callen's attempts to hide the fact that he was 'fangirling' over a car.

"Todd,"

"You brought Todd a car?" Deeks said.

"Not just a car, have you seen the license plate." Callen suddenly realized what he was about to admit to, "ERIC!" He moaned as his friend laughed, "You're going to have to 'fess up now man." Eric said.

"Todd got me into Supernatural; Eric's got him a completely restored replica of Sam and Dean Winchesters '67 Chevy impala from the series for his 16th birthday."

"And don't forget you promised to teach him to drive." Eric said looking at Callen.

Callen's grin got wider, "Sure."

"You guys are all coming over for a cookout tomorrow for Todd's birthday….it's his first one with me and I'd like you to be there." Eric said, they all nodded and headed back inside.

* * *

Todd had woken up as usual to his father's shrill whistle.

"KIDS…BREAKFAST IN TEN MINUTES!" Eric called up the stairs.

Bleary-eyed Todd came down, "Morning." He mumbled and he reached for the carton of juice on the table.

Eric grinned at him, "Can you make sure you come straight home tonight?"

"I'm supposed to see Nate after school." Todd replied.

"It's ok, I can get Nate to pick you up from school and you can talk on the way home." Eric said, he was surprised to see that Todd didn't want to come straight home on his birthday.

"Sure Dad," Todd said and grabbed his bag, "Gotta go gonna miss the bus." He ran out the door as Summer walked downstairs.

"Morning Dad," Summer reached for the coffee pot and she poured herself a mug.

"Sum, Has Todd talked to you about his birthday?" Eric asked.

Summer shook her head, "No…it's weird, and he's not even told me when it is?"

"It's today." Eric told her, "I'm having a cookout tonight, I want you here ok?"

"Sure." Summer said and started to walk out.

"Summer? You ok?" He called up the stairs after his daughter.

"Dad! It's Todd's first birthday with us, I got to get him a present…and we have to throw him a party!" she leant over the railing and grinned at her father, "This is gonna be awesome."

"I've got the others due to be here at six." Eric said, "You got college today?"

"Nothing I can't put off….I have my little brother's first birthday at home to plan." She smiled her blue eyes sparkling…."I gotta call Nell." She grinned.

"Nell?" Eric asked confused, he knew his partner and his daughter were friends but Nell?

"Sure…She's an awesome party planner…and she's almost as big a Supernatural fan as Todd and Callen."

Eric laughed, "I still don't get that show." He reached into his wallet and took out his credit card. "Take this." He said handing her his card.

"I will!" Nell said walking in behind Eric and grabbing the card, "what's the limit and what are we buying?"

"No limit and party stuff for Todd's first birthday here, he's a supernatural fan?"

"Really! I Love that show!" Nell gushed.

"Nell…you here?" Summer called over the railing.

"Yeah, I have the day off wanted to know if you wanted to hang before the cookout tonight?" she asked.

Summer ran down the stairs and grabbed Nell whisking her off upstairs. "Planning meeting!" She yelled down to her dad.

Eric laughed as he walked out the door to the car.

* * *

Callen was sitting in Hetty's office as Eric walked in; he watched the Technician climb the stairs and looked back at Hetty.

"We should tell him, it's not fair to keep him in the dark." Callen said to Hetty as she sipped on her tea.

"I understand Mr. Callen, but today being Todd's birthday, I want you to keep an eye on the boy, we can tell Eric after the party, He needs to have this day with his son unencumbered with worry."

"I'll watch the kid while he's at school, and see if anyone else is watching too. Nate's picking him up today…but I'm still not sure that keeping this from him is a good idea." Callen replied his gut starting to churn.

"Right now, Mr. Callen the more normal things are the better, if he is to make the move we think he will, then the only way we will catch him is if we carry on as normal."

Sighing Callen had to agree with his boss, but it didn't make him any happier.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Waving goodbye to his friends Todd walked over to the car in the car park with Nate leaning on the front.

"You have a good day Toddster?" Nate asked with a smile.

Todd shrugged "It was ok, got History homework. I hate that…." He grinned at Nate. "You wanna analyze my hatred for history?" he teased.

Nate stood up crossed his arms and looked the kid up and down. "Um…I diagnose a classic case of Teenagerisim, Don't worry it's not terminal you'll grow out of it in a few years."

Todd laughed and threw Nate his books. "Catch." He grinned and climbed in the car.

"Kids!" Nate rolled his eyes smiling and got in the other side.

Neither noticed the man in the dark green SUV down the street watching them.

"McDonalds?" Todd asked as Nate usually took them to a drive through and then they would talk in a park or the car until the session was over.

"Nope today we are going straight home….of course." Nate said.

"Why?" Todd asked confused.

Nate handed him a present and a card, "I know what today is." Nate said smiling.

Todd still looked confused.

"What's this?"

"Todd, I know it's your birthday, I got you a present." Nate said, "Open it."

"When is it?" Todd asked.

Nate misheard the question, "It's a present for you."

"No Nate…when's my birthday? And why are you giving me this?" he asked.

Nate pulled the car over to the curb.

He turned and looked the teenager in the eye. "Todd, don't you know when your birthday is?"

Todd shrugged, "It's not come up, I mean I know I was born, but no one ever asked me….it's today then?" he asked.

Nate smiled "Yeah."

"And this is because?" Todd asked again lifting the brightly wrapped package up.

"Because with it being your birthday; we celebrate by giving you a gift." Nate explained.

Todd looked at it "I get presents?" he said awed.

Nate's heart broke for the boy, "Yeah," He smiled, "You get presents."

Todd carefully put his present down.

"Don't you want to open it?" Nate asked.

Todd nodded and looked away,

"Todd?" Nate prompted.

"I...if it's ok….can I wait? If everyone is giving me something….I want the first one I ever open, to be from my dad," he said quietly.

Nate smiled, "Sure Toddster, let's get you home."

Todd smiled sadly, so this was the day…the day his mother had given birth to him, he wondered if she would be proud of him now he had left Klaus and was living with his dad, he figured she would be. Lost in thought about his mother he didn't even realize they were home until Nate pulled into the driveway.

* * *

They walked in the house and into the family room and Todd ground to a halt.

Everyone from his dad's work was there, and there were balloons and streamers and a big pile of presents and food and Cake on a table. There were two huge cut out's of Sam and Dean from TV's Supernatural and the balloons had devils trap symbols on them.

Todd looked around at everyone his mouth agape…and then ran from the room.

"Todd!" Summer called.

Eric looked at everyone, "Sorry guys, Nate, did something happen?"

Nate looked at the room and everyone standing there.

"Eric, did you know Todd had no idea it was his birthday today?" he asked.

Eric's face fell, "No?"

Nate said "Eric, he's never had a birthday party or even a present…I don't think he expected all this, he thought you would be here with a single present, I think he's just overwhelmed,"

"I should go to him…" Eric said and headed up the stairs.

Callen followed behind. "Eric….Can I talk to him?"

Eric turned and looked at his friend. "Sure." He said although he wasn't sure what Callen could say to the boy.

Callen knocked on Eric's door, "Give us a minute." He asked.

Eric nodded as Callen went in.

* * *

Todd was laying face down on his bed sobbing. "Uncle G…I blew it…I…I didn't know what to do and you were all looking at me, Is dad mad?" he asked.

Callen smiled reassuringly "No T, He's not mad, just confused, I'll explain it to him if you like." Callen offered.

"How…I can't explain it." Todd admitted.

Callen sat cross-legged at the foot of Todd's bed, "Do you know how old I was when I had my first birthday party?" Callen asked.

Todd looked at him… "Three?" he asked.

Callen shook his head, "Thirty-six."

Todd's eyes went wide, "Thirty-six? How come?" he asked.

"I grew up in foster care, I never had a mom or a dad who cared enough to celebrate, Like Klaus, no one who was bringing me up cared about my birthday, I knew when It was but I didn't celebrate, until we got a case and I accidentally told Sam that I had never had a birthday card, he looked up my file and the next time it was my birthday he invited me out to dinner….everyone was there…do you know what I did?" He asked.

Todd looked at him scrutinizing what he thought the older man would have done. "Did you shoot him?" Todd asked.

Callen laughed, "Nope, I wish I had…nope I ran into the bathroom and threw up."

"Really?" Todd asked.

"Yeah, I was scared to death, all these people were my friends and I knew them….but I didn't know what to do or how birthday parties worked."

"I'm scared, what if I do it wrong?" Todd asked.

"I'll let you into a secret, there is no right and wrong, you go down open the gifts, say thank you….even if they are strangely confusing, (He added thinking about the clapping monkey Eric had gotten him that year,) and you eat loads of food and cake."

"That's it?" Todd asked.

"Yeah, and believe me it gets easier every year." Callen admitted.

Todd got up as Eric entered, Callen knew he had heard everything but also knew Eric wouldn't tell everyone.

"Todd?" Eric said.

Todd flew off the bed and hugged his Dad. "I'm sorry Dad…I didn't know…I panicked."

Eric ruffled his son's hair, "So cake first or presents?" Eric said with a look towards Callen who nodded reassuring the younger man he was handling it alright.

"Presents." Todd said and ran down the stairs, leaving his father and uncle to follow.

"Thanks Callen." Eric said.

"No problem." Callen smiled.

* * *

Todd entered the living room and was immediately engulfed in a hug from his sister.

"Gerroff me!" Todd mumbled.

Summer grinned "Nope, birthday smushie hugs for my little brother; I worked hard all day so I get that."

"You did this….and the Sam and Dean cut out….it's awesome!" Todd grinned.

"Presents!" Summer called directing Todd to a stack of parcels.

"Which one is from Dad?" Todd asked.

"Er….it's not here….it's outside." Eric said before Todd could get the wrong idea. "Close your eyes,"

He led Todd out to the garage where the car was wrapped in a red bow

"OK, open them." Eric said and Todd let out a squeal.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! DAAAAAAAD! IT'S THE IMPALA!" he jumped up and down in excitement as he looked at the license plate and then opened the trunk.

He turned ran and launched himself into his father's arms…. "Oh my God it's so perfect!" Todd was crying with happiness, and his weren't the only non dry eyes in the garage.

"Ok bro, what about my present." Summer said as she pulled her brother away from his new car.

They went inside the others talking about the gift as Summer gave her brother seasons, 1 thru 8 of Supernatural on DVD. Todd looked at the gift in astonishment. "Wow! Thanks sis." He hugged her and she grinned.

"Hang on…Season 8 isn't out yet how?" He asked.

"I have a friend of a friend," Hetty said "And when Miss Beale told me what you wanted it was an easy call to make."

The rest of his presents alternated between the boy's two loves. Supernatural and surfing he was bowled over with each and every one of them.

Callen walked up and handed him a piece of paper.

"I.O.U?" Todd said reading it…."Thanks?" he said.

"That is an I.O.U for driving lessons; I'm going to teach you to drive."

"You are!" Todd said the smile crossing his face again.

"Of course, how else am I going to get to ride in THE impala?" Callen grinned.

Todd hugged Callen and then whispered in his ear, "What's next?"

Callen draped his arm over the boy's shoulders, "OK let's eat." He suggested and everyone nodded.

* * *

The party moved to the outdoor grill on the deck, the girls went down to the beach to work on their tan's until the food was ready and Deeks and Sam went into the water, Callen and Todd walked on the beach while Nate, Eric and Hetty stayed on the deck by the Barbeque.

"That went well." Nate said.

"Yeah, thanks to Callen." Eric said, "If he hadn't talked to Todd it may have gone so wrong."

"Mr. Callen is an expert when it comes to not having celebrated family events. At least his experience here made a difference."

"He and Todd get on really well, I'm lucky to have them in my life." Eric admitted. "And the rest of you as well, this has really made me understand what I am grateful for."

Hetty smiled and passed him a beer as he turned the meat.

"I'm glad this is going so well." She said, she looked out at the team on the beach smiling, however at the last second over in the dunes she thought she saw something and her face dropped for a second as she frowned. She looked over at the dunes and then at Todd.

Callen was sticking to his side and they were laughing at something Todd had said.

Her gut was churning, but she knew with Callen on protection detail, Todd was safe….for now.

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If like me this chapter causes trigger in you if reading about rape, although not gone into in details you may find it upsetting. You may not like the next chapter either.  
> Rape Crisis is a wonderful organisation, if you read this and you need to CALL THEM!  
> If you know it is going to upset you, the last chapter was a good place to stop, just believe they lived happily ever after.  
> Peace and love

Todd woke up beyond happy, his very first ever birthday party had been more than he could have ever wished for; The cookout had been perfect spending time with his new family had been great, and having Callen help guide him through it so he didn't make any mistakes had, been for him a blessing. To top it all he had a car…He'd just started Drivers Ed and with the extra lessons Uncle G was going to give him, he'd be driving it to school in no time.

Grabbing his bag he ran down the stairs skidded past the kitchen door and ran in to grab a glass of juice off the kitchen table.

"Hey dad, Can't stop gonna be late for the bus." Todd smiled at his dad as he ran out the door.

Eric knew he should get his son to slow down, but watching the boy slowly come out of his shell and be as bright and happy as his sister was so worth it all he could do was smile and wave as his son ran down the driveway to meet the bus.

Turning to go back inside Eric felt an overwhelming sense of peace, he wished that Myra could have been here to see the people their children had become, "You'd have been so proud of them Hun," He said to himself as he grabbed his toast out of the toaster and ate a bite.

Down the bottom of the driveway Todd ran to a halt as he watched his school bus turn the corner and drive off without him, He threw his bag on the ground in frustration and started counting the small change in his pocket to see if he had the dollar, forty for bus fare.

As he was counting he was unaware of the van that rolled silently down the hill and stopped near him.

Todd looked up as his light was blocked by a shadow and he was suddenly overcome with a feeling of dread as a hand clamped roughly on his shoulder.

"I told you I wouldn't let you get away from me." Klaus snarled as he pulled Todd into the van.

"Get off me!" Todd yelled struggling; "HELP!" he called as Klaus backhanded him and Todd fell sideways into the van.

Todd struggled against Klaus until he felt a pinprick on his neck and his world went dark.

* * *

Eric arrived at work and dropped his bag down by the desk, "Good Morning Mr. Beale, how did Todd enjoy his party last night."

"It was a great success Hetty, thanks for coming, he was the happiest I have ever seen him this morning," Eric said pleased the whole saga was over and he had been able to get his life back on track.

He got started with his work and twice that day found himself humming as he typed. Nell smiled but wisely said nothing.

Downstairs it had been a slow week and with the exception of Todd's birthday party the team hadn't had much else to do with themselves except complete their paperwork, Kensi and Deeks were in the middle of a game of paper football with Sam refereeing while Callen as team leader with twice the amount of paperwork kept working away on his pile, stopping once in a while to throw a wad of paper in the trashcan furthest from him and getting Sam to try and beat that.

Hetty walked into the office and tapped Callen on the shoulder, "Mr. Callen, my office." She said, ignoring the glances of the others he got up and followed.

"What's wrong?" Callen asked as he saw the worried look on the operation manager's face.

"Nicklaus Beale has escaped from prison a week ago; we were not informed as no one had told them of Eric's connection to him. Christian Beale knew but also neglected to let us know. He has been questioned by LAPD but he has no knowledge of his son's whereabouts." She told him.

"Have you told Eric?" Callen asked.

"I was on my way when I received this," She handed a piece of paper over to Callen and he read it.

"Has this been confirmed?" Callen asked.

"No I need you to talk to Eric while I have Nell inform the rest of the team, you'll be taking the case on and dealing with this."

Callen got up and headed towards the stairs, "Sam!" he called.

Sam ran over and Callen filled him in as they went upstairs. They walked to one of the conference rooms where Eric was sat with Nate. "Hey guys' what's up?"

"We have some information for you Eric." Sam said

Eric's gut lurched, "What's happened Sam, are my kids ok?" he got up and tried to go to the door.

"Nicklaus has escaped from prison, the van taking him to his long term facility overturned and he escaped." Sam told him.

Eric went white and then jumped up, "I need to get to my kids…I need to know they're safe!" He exclaimed

"Eric, there's more, Summer and Todd are both missing."

Eric started visibly shaking, "No….not them…I….I have to….I mean." He could think or even function. He took a deep breath, "I need to get to OPS, there will be some camera footage, If Klaus has them, and he'll be easy to track by kaleidoscope." He said trying to get up.

"Nell's on it, you can't be involved in the investigation, you're too close."

"I can't be…!" Eric trailed off looking incredulously as the two men, "I am involved, he has MY kids!"

Nate tried reasoning with him as Callen told him that he had to wait in this room while he and Sam went looking for them. Eventually Eric capitulated and settled in a chair with Nate.

Ten minutes after Callen and Sam left Eric looked up, "I need a coffee, you want one Nate?" he asked.

Nate nodded, "I'll go Eric, and you stay here in case there is any news." Nate said and walked towards the kitchen area.

Eric waited a full thirty seconds, he had never realized before how long thirty seconds actually was when you were waiting for it to be over, it felt like an eternity. As soon as the allotted time had passed he grabbed his messenger bag and ran.

* * *

Summer woke up in a cold dark room, she couldn't believe where she was the last thing she remembered was sitting in a bar on campus talking to some friends about oceanic tidal patterns and the next thing she knew she was here.

"Good morning Summer." A tall man said

Summer looked at him, he looked familiar but she was sure she hadn't met him before. Finding her throat scratchy she croaked out, "Who are you?" Then she coughed, "Where am I?" She asked.

"You are nowhere, and you can call me Sir," Klaus said as he walked past her.

"Bollocks will I!" Summer snapped, her green eyes flashing angrily.

Klaus smiled, "So much like your mother…..I wonder how much like your mother you are?"

Summer's eyes widened as she realized who the man reminded her of…..her father….. "Klaus…you're Klaus aren't you?" she asked.

She yelped as he backhanded her, "You will address me as Sir and only in answer to a question otherwise you will not be permitted to speak," He told her, "Do you understand whore." He snapped.

"My name is Summer," She insisted.

He hit her again this time with a length of 4mm chain links, "You are a whore and will be addressed as such,"

Summer looked up in horror, she was by no means a whore, and she was a virgin and proud of the fact that she was saving herself for marriage. "I…I'm not….I'm a virgin…" she sobbed.

Klaus smiled and Summer couldn't stop the cold fear that ran through her as Klaus walked towards her and ran his hand down her face.

"Not for long." He laughed and walked out his laughter increasing at the scream of terror she let out as a group of men walked in.

* * *

Todd heard a woman screaming and for a second thought it was his mother, his head felt fuzzy and as he woke up and his mouth was dry.

"Mom?" He called.

He looked around and he knew exactly where he was, he was in the room where he had grown up, looking down he was in the vest and pants he always wore, there were no shoes, no new clothes, no new house and no dad or sister. He sobbed as he realized he had to have been a dream. He heard some men laughing and the woman scream again and he cried, it had all been a dream, his mom was alive and from what he could hear Sir had his men raping her again, he grabbed the bucket of water he had from the corner and he pulled the sheet off his bed and began tearing it into strips for the bandages his mother would need when Klaus finally threw her back into his room, when they had finished with her. He should have known his dream of a father and a life away from Klaus and the beatings, was too good to be true.

But oh, how he had hoped.

* * *

He looked up sharply as the door opened and Klaus stood blocking the light.

Todd immediately dropped to his knees. "Sir?" he asked ready to do as he was asked.

Klaus smiled the drug had worked exactly as he had hoped.

"I'll be sending a woman in for you to tend boy, she is a whore and a liar, she will lie to you and try and convince you that she is your sister and that you will be rescued, this is not true, she has been messing with your mind and is being punished. She told you stories about a life and a father, you were being drugged, and I saved you."

"Th….thank you sir." Todd said his tears of gratitude shone in his eyes as he looked up with devotion, if sir was saying so, it must be true.

"I am not a cruel man, but you must never be lied to, she is taking her punishments well." Klaus said as he heard her screams. "Bandage her wounds and then you must explain to her how life with us works and the futility of breaking out."

Todd nodded. Klaus looked at him, "Did you believe her?"

Todd knew better than to lie, "I think I did, I thought I had a father and a home with a room and a birthday." He admitted.

Klaus smiled, "You know better than that. You are a pet, nothing more, I use you as I see fit, animals do not have birthdays or anything more than this kennel of yours. Do not let her mess with you even more, from today onwards every time she defies me, you will be punished for it. Every time you listen to her she will be punished. Do understand boy?"

Todd nodded, "Yes Sir, thank you Sir."

Todd looked at Klaus and he knew the boy had a question, "Yes boy?"

"Does the woman have a name?" Todd asked.

"Her name is whore, or girl, you are to address her as such."

"Yes Sir." Todd replied and sank down onto his mattress on the floor as Klaus left; he had hoped so much that her name was Summer and that some of what he had dreamt was true.

* * *

Callen, Sam, Kensi and Deeks traipsed back into the mission dejected after raiding Christian Beale's home and finding no sign of Klaus had to come back to the mission empty handed.

Worried for their friend Callen headed up to the room he was supposed to be in and was met by a very pissed of Nate Getz.

"He's gone, his cell phone is here, but I don't know where he is, Hetty and Nell have been looking for him." Nate said as he walked back into OPS.

Nell was searching her computer trying to trace Eric leaving the building, but there was no sign of him.

"I'm afraid Miss Jones, that if anyone knows how to get out of here without being seen, it would be Mr. Beale."

Nell turned to Hetty, "We can't let him do this alone?" she said.

"It's worse than that…" Nate told them, "I've just been to the armory, Eric's taken a gun."

 


	14. Chapter 14

The door opened and the girl was thrown in.

At first Todd moved as the door was unbolted and knelt as Klaus pushed the sobbing girl into the room.

He turned to Todd, "Clean it up. I will be back if there is any mess you will pay."

Todd nodded without looking up, "Yes Sir, Thank you Sir." He said and relaxed a little as the door shut.

He took the girl a blanket. "Here, I need to dress your wounds." He said flatly not looking at her face but focusing on the fact her clothes were torn, trying to see what he could salvage and which injuries he needed to deal with first.

"Todd?" the girl sniffed her sobbing lessened, "He has you too?"

"Don't!" Todd warned, "My name is boy, your name is girl, any attempt to try to trick me will be met with punishment." He said softly handing her a wash cloth.

He didn't want to look at her face, if she was Summer the girl in his dreams then he didn't want to know, he didn't want to think his mother was dead and that a nice father and family had for a while been his, when he knew there was no chance of him ever regaining that. Sir always got what he wanted.

Of all the places he had been taken during his life this house was the one he hated the most.

The house in the middle of nowhere was surrounded on all sides by desert, Todd knew this as he had tried to run once, the house itself was from the outside a normal one story home, but Klaus had had a large underground system of rooms added. There were seven usable rooms and the storage area of around 30 square feet which held enough supplies that they wouldn't have to leave the compound for a year if they didn't wish to.

The boy's kennel was a small 8 by 8foot room which barely held a bed and a bucket and a small table. There were shackles on the wall and some on each leg of the bed, used when the boy misbehaved or Sir had 'friends' in who didn't like his other pets. Todd had been born in this room, it was…until his dream all he had known. Although his mother had told him stories about the outside and what they were like so when he was six Todd had snuck out and managed to get out to the outside, all he had wanted to do was see the stars, but Sir caught him and he was punished for a month, it was three months before he could lay on his back again.

This he didn't want for the girl.

* * *

"Todd, it's me Summer, your sister." She said trying to touch him, he flinched away from her.

"Your name is girl, is anywhere more injured than others I need to clean your wounds, you won't survive if you get an infection."

"Todd?"

"Please Summer…" He whispered and begged hoping this would calm her down.

"Is this what your life was like before you found us?" She asked tears still flowing as she seemed to have no way to stop them.

"This is life, there is no other." Todd said flatly; handing her another piece of cloth to wash more blood away with.

"You know there is Todd, Dad will come and get us, and we won't be here forever!" Summer insisted.

Todd flinched away from her, why wouldn't she listen. He heard the footsteps coming down the hallway and he knew what was coming.

"Don't blame yourself girl, it's not your fault." Todd got one of the shackles and chained her wrist to the wall.

"What are you doing…Todd! Please!" Summer panicked and pulled against the chain.

Todd got on his knees with his head bowed. "Sir!" he said reverently as the door opened.

"Did you convince her boy?"

Todd let out a sad breath, "No sir, she is still insisting her name is Summer, Girl wouldn't listen, I accept my punishment and I thank you for it." He said shaking.

Klaus turned to Summer, "Every time you call him Todd or yourself Summer this is what will happen, Watch Girl."

"Boy…" He nodded towards the bed, "Over there…Now!"

Todd scrambled and leant face first over the bed as Klaus reached down and got out the belt.

Summer screamed as Klaus started striking Todd with the belt.

Todd with a small quiver in his voice counted each one until he got to 25 and passed out.

Summer sobbed as she watched her brother take the punishment without making a sound other than the counting. Klaus looked at her "Girl, every time you tell him you're his sister, try to convince him there is life outside of here or try to lie to him in anyway…that is your punishment."

"B…but you hurt him not me!" She sobbed.

"Did I…" Klaus grinned, "Did I not hurt you. His name is boy if you don't want that to happen again CALL HIM THAT!" he yelled and laughed as she tried to get away… "Or maybe….I will let you spend time with my friends again," He said running his hand down the side of her face and cupping her breast with his hand. He leant in and kissed her as she fought to get away and spat in his face.

Klaus laughed and walked out of the room as Summer collapsed sobbing.

* * *

Eric stopped as close to the house as he dare, he had known of the one place where Klaus could be; he pulled his bike up and pulled the backpack onto the bike in front of him. He reached in and took out the Sig Sauer and checked the clip and the ammunition.

He heard a car coming down the road and he turned and pointed the gun in the direction of the car.

The car pulled up and Callen and Sam got out.

"You nuts, Eric?" Sam asked annoyed.

"No." Eric said flatly.

"Are you sure that's where they are?" Callen asked nodding towards the building.

Eric nodded and handed him the binoculars "He usually has someone on guard and the house itself is easy to get into, underneath there is a warren of rooms, I found the blueprints while I was staying at my fathers. I think this is where he kept Myra and Todd." He said pulling the blueprints out of the bag.

"Give me the gun Eric," Sam said and held out his hand.

"No, my kids are in there, you never had to listen to Todd's nightmares, God knows what he's doing to them…If it were your kids would you sit here?" Eric argued.

"No, but I can shoot. You hate guns!" Sam replied hotly.

Eric loaded his gun and Sam stood back sharply, he took aim and shot the top off a cactus at 500 yards.

"WOW!" Callen exclaimed,

"I said I didn't like guns, I never said I couldn't shoot!" Eric snapped, "Now are you going with me or am I going to shoot you!" he snarled.

"You wouldn't?" Sam queried.

"You're standing between me and my children…. **What do you think**!"

Sam moved and looked at the plans.

Callen picked up his cell phone "I'll call it in, we will need back up."

Eric ran his hand through his hair and looked longingly at the building, he was so close he knew they were there and all he needed was to go the mile and a half to the house kick the door in kill anyone in his way and save his kids…waiting for backup was frustrating.

Eric grabbed the binoculars and shuddered as he saw his brother walk onto the porch and throw something onto the ground. He looked and realized it was a belt and a pile of bloody rags.

"Stuff back up, I'm going!" he said grabbing his bag and swinging his leg over his Ducati.

Sam put his hand on his arm, "Eric, you need to wait, you don't know what that is?"

Eric shook, "It's my kids shirt…its Todd's…and….he sobbed as he looked again through the binoculars, "He's knows, Klaus knows I'm here!" he said

"How do you know?" Callen asked concerned.

"It's Todd's shirt with the blood on and S…Summer's…..God, Callen, It's her underwear." He broke down. "He's a cold bastard, I need to get there!" he yelled frantically tearing himself away from the larger man.

"Eric STOP!" Callen yelled.

"I want to get down there as much as you do, but back up is ten minutes out, just you that long, please, it'll be better for your kids if the paramedics are here if they are needed. Just wait please!" Callen said holding Eric's arm.

Eric sank to his knees and sobbed, "Please…save my children."

 


	15. Chapter 15

For Eric, if you had asked him, the next ten minutes did not pass in a blur, like they do in television shows. No, he felt every second as if each one were an hour. He paced he reloaded and cleaned and re-reloaded his gun, he checked the sights and Sam was staring at him like Eric had been replaced by someone else.

"WHAT!" Eric snapped looking at Sam staring at him.

"Who are you and what have you done with Eric," He said hoping a little brevity would calm him down.

Eric shot him a look. "Sam I said I didn't like guns, you don't think as an analyst that we don't have to be proficient in firearms if we have to go out in the field?" he asked.

Sam looked at Callen.

Callen nodded, "He does…his scores are higher than Deeks'" he admitted.

"Come on anyone can get higher than Deeks." Sam snapped, again making fun of the detective.

"Sam," Callen said carefully, "Deeks' scores are higher than yours." He told the larger man.

Sam stood and looked affronted. "Na, come one… Really! Deeks'!"

Callen smirked and Eric relaxed a little, letting Sam, think that he was joking…He wasn't.

Finally back-up arrived and they went over the plan, Kensi and Deeks taking one side. Sam, Callen and after much arguing Eric, would take the other with the FED's backing them up. Two ambulances were on standby and Nell was in OPS providing extra back up.

Eric refused to wear and earwig, he checked his clip one last time and they moved in.

* * *

Klaus had seen the trucks down the road and figured the FBI were raiding the marijuana factory near to where they were and laughed as he went down the stairs to the underground labyrinth under the house.

Todd was still unconscious from his last beating and Summer wanted to help him.

She had pulled at her chain, but hadn't been able to get her wrist free. She jumped as the door opened and Klaus walked in. she moved as far as she could as he walked over to her.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed and stopped as he backhanded her, he pushed her to the wall and started running his hand up and down the inside of her leg, grinning as she cried.

He reached over and unlocked the shackle. "Come with me," He leered and she pulled trying to get to Todd as a loud crash came from upstairs.

"NCIS!" Sam's voice called first, followed by a series of 'clears!'

Klaus put his hand over Summer's mouth, "You are coming with me," He whispered.

Her terrified eyes flicked to the prone form of her brother on the bed and she was yanked out of the room, He pulled her into a room further down the hall, he backed her into a wall and locked the door. "You are so much like your mother, I wonder if you scream in the same way," He said his hands grabbing for her clothes.

Shaking she started fighting him off.

* * *

Callen was the first to reach Todd, "Paramedic!" He called as he saw the boy lying on the bed; Eric ran in and checked his pulse.

"Todd!" Eric said scared his eyes narrowed in anger as he saw the bloody welts on the boy's back. "Sam take him to the paramedic!" Eric said with an inflection in his voice Sam hadn't heard before, which shocked him.

A door down the hall opened and Klaus walked out with his hands in the air.

"Erik…well, well little brother, you're too late, I had them both." He laughed and put his hands up.

"W...what do you mean," Eric asked his voice low and his gun trained on his brother.

"I beat your boy and I took your girl the same way I took her mother…mind you, so did a lot of other people," He laughed. "But if she is carrying anyone's child it will be mine and she will have to look at that child forever and know I did that to her."

Eric's hand on the gun shook.

"Eric, we need to bring him in, I know you want to but you can't kill him." Callen said keeping his voice low.

Eric looked at Callen and a grin spread on his face, "Kill him! He's my brother…I wouldn't want to kill him." He said

Klaus looked confused, then scared and then Eric raised his gun and fired three times.

Klaus screamed once. Really high pitched and it turned into a low moan. Callen stood there shoot as the paramedics rushed behind them.

"You….you….!" Callen said in shock as Eric got up and pushed past him,

"I shot him in the kneecaps and I shot his balls off, the rest is…" Eric shrugged, "Mostly… still there." Callen shook; he had never seen Eric so cold. "But Callen, he's not dead so you can still arrest him, but he won't be touching my children ever again."

He pushed by Callen and stopped his hand on the door where he thought Summer was. Carefully he opened the door and looked to see her curled in the corner her body in a ball and her hair covering her face. He walked up slowly and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No!" she pulled away from him.

"Sum…" Eric said kneeling down.

"Daddy?" Summer said looking up. Her eyes filled with tears and she launched herself into his arms, "Daddy!" he held her tight stroking her hair and whispering to her until his sobs subsided.

He gently lifted her and carried her out to the hallway.

* * *

Klaus was gone, the paramedics had taken him and Eric turned to Callen, we need to get her to an ambulance. Callen nodded and cleared the way for Eric to carry his daughter through.

Kensi and Deeks were taken aback as they saw him carry her through to the ambulance.

Eric sat with her on the gurney as Summer wouldn't let go of him, he turned around and looked out the back where Callen was standing with Sam, "Where's Todd?"

The paramedic finished loading up, "The boy and the first man were taken off a few moments ago, they should get to the hospital a few minutes before us," He said with a reassuring smile.

Eric tensed and Summer whimpered.

He instinctively lowered his voice, but the anger and threat rolled off him in waves, "Do you mean to tell me you put my son and his torturer in the same ambulance together?" he asked.

"I….I…no one said, we just assumed that they were both victims….I mean the man was hurt much more than the boy…?"He said confused.

Eric looked incensed.

"Don't worry Eric, we'll call Nell and let the hospital know to separate them." Callen said as Sam went to fill her in.

Eric nodded and watched as they closed the doors.

* * *

In the first ambulance Todd was starting to come around. "Hey, there?" the paramedic said, "My names Toby. What's yours?" he asked.

"B…Boy?" Todd said.

"OK, so you're in an ambulance on the way to hospital you lie there, and you'll be well soon." Toby said smiling.

Todd closed his eyes for a second, then realized, if he was out he was in trouble, his breathing increased and his heart rate sped up.

"No no no no no no no!" Todd rambled.

"It's ok Kid. Just relax…" Toby went to get a sedative and Todd looked over to see Klaus lying on the other gurney in the ambulance.

Todd scrambled off the gurney and grabbed Klaus' hand, "Sir….Sir…I'm Sorry!" he sobbed holding his hand "Please wake up, don't leave me."

"Hey kid you need to get back on this bed." Toby said gently grasping the kid by the shoulders.

"NO!" Todd shook him off. "Please, Don't take him from me…" Todd shook in fear.

"OK listen kid. You get back on this bed and I promise you, you won't leave his side." Toby said concerned.

Todd calmed somewhat and lay back on the gurney, determined that he wouldn't leave his side, there was no way he was getting punished again.

Klaus's eyes opened and even through the waves of agony, he saw Todd kneeling beside him and holding his hand, "Please don't leave me," He heard his boy say. He smiled as another wave of pain pushed him back into unconsciousness.

Eric may have done this to him but he hadn't won. Klaus thought as his world went dark.

 


	16. Chapter 16

As the ambulance arrived at the hospital Toby pulled the gurney with the man out of the ambulance and he and his partner set the gurney up to be pushed into the ER. Todd scrambled out of the ambulance and grasped Klaus' hand and refused to let go.

They put Klaus in a room and Todd crouched in a ball at the foot of Klaus' bed and refused to look at anyone.

"Hi, my name's Sheila and I am a nurse," Sheila said crouching down to Todd, "Can you tell me your name?" she asked softly.

"T…T…Boy." Todd said quietly.

"Okay." Sheila said, "Can I look at your back, it looks painful."

Todd shook his head, "It's not."

Shelia raised an eyebrow at him, she had worked with traumatized patients in the past and had noticed the boy's reaction as he had come in and had tapped Klaus' doctor on the shoulder and offered to deal with the boy.

"It does look it though, if you say it doesn't hurt I believe you, but the doctor here," She said gesturing towards the doctor walking towards Klaus, "He worries and I would hate him to worry that they would get infected."

Todd looked warily at the doctor, "He can't touch him!" he exclaimed pulling himself up and putting himself between the doctor and Klaus.

"Why is that son?" Shelia asked, making a mental note not to call him son again at the boy's flinch when she said the word.

"No one touches Sir, but me…it's my job…" Todd started shaking as the injuries and the confrontation got the better of him. He reached for the swabs and the sterile liquid to clean his wounds, shaking off the hand of the nurse he gently started cleaning Klaus's wounds.

"Son, we need to get him prepped for surgery you can't come there, it is forbidden." The doctor said and took the gauze from Todd's hand, "the nurse will help you with your wounds."

"She can't." Todd said flatly and moved to the corner of the room and crouched down.

"Why not honey?" Shelia asked.

"Sir…you haven't been given permission to touch me." Todd shook as a wave of pain went through him. "Unless.."

Klaus groaned, "Boy!" he called.

"Sir!" Todd struggled through the nurses that tried to hold him back from the man they now knew had been hurting him not helping him.

"You are no one's but mine, no one will touch you and I will find you, no one is to heal you." Klaus rasped harshly. Todd nodded and couldn't help a small sob as another wave of what Todd now thought was never ending pain assaulted him. The doctor moved to sedate Klaus, more than anything to stop him talking to the boy. "If I die you die boy…do you understand!" Klaus screamed as the doctor plunged in the needle.

In the scream no one heard Todd reply "Yes sir."

* * *

Klaus fainted under sedation back onto the bed as Eric, Summer and the others arrived.

Todd resumed his position on the floor in the corner of the room and Eric didn't see him as he brought Summer to the doctors.

An older Male doctor started to approach them and Eric warned him off. "She needs a female doctor," he started pulling the doctor to one side.

"Sir, I assure you whatever is wrong with the child I am more than qual…."The doctor started.

"See that over there," He said spotting the doctor's wheeling Klaus out of the room, "he raped her, she needs a female doctor and a rape kit run." Eric said his voice catching as he talked.

The doctor nodded, "Put her in here, our head nurse is dealing with a difficult case right now, but I will have our primary team in to help you." Eric lay Summer down on the bed and she was already passed out. The doctor looked at her quizzically, "she's been sedated in the ambulance on the way here, and she should be out for an hour or so." Eric explained.

* * *

The Doctor looked at the two agents that had come in with Eric, "I take it you are with the two policemen?" he asked.

Eric sighed and nodded, "They are federal Agents I work with them." He said knowing it would give the doctor the impression he was an agent as well, but if it helped his kids then so be it.

"We have a boy…"

"Todd! He's my son, where is he?" Eric said looking around.

"I'm sorry, he's came in with the man that you said hurt your daughter, we had no idea the boy refused to leave the man,"

"Klaus, my brother's name is Klaus, is he still alive?" Eric asked as he and the doctor walked down the hallway past Callen and Sam.

The doctor was about to ask when he was paged. "One second please." He excused himself and picked up the phone. Coming back he turned back to Eric, Callen and Sam who had walked up behind him. "I am sorry to inform you that your brother's injuries were too severe and he died on the operating table."

"Good." Eric spat.

The doctor looked a bit shocked. "Hey, Doc, you said you knew where Eric's son was."

"Yeah, our head nurse Sheila is sitting in with him, we can't get him to co-operate and he is in need of treatment." The doctor informed him.

The three men walked towards the room, "Callen, will you come with me Todd likes you, it might help?" Eric asked.

Callen nodded wanting to help. "Sam can you let Hetty know what's happened and then see if Kensi can sit with Summer, I think she'll need a girl with her."

Sam nodded and walked off.

* * *

Sheila had muted the lighting in the room and had draped a blanket over Todd's shoulders but he had not moved from the fetal position he had taken up in the corner of the room.

As they entered Sheila stood up and looked towards the two men, spotting Callen's badge she squared herself up to do battle.

"This boy is in no state to be answering your questions officers?" she said she thought the older man was a police officer, maybe a detective, but the younger blond looked a lot like the boy. If only his hair had been red, but in protecting her young charge she wasn't taking anything for granted.

"I'm Eric, I'm his father." Eric said quietly.

"Oh, what's his name?" Sheila asked. "He only say's his name's boy, he is severely traumatized and I think he may have Stockholm syndrome. He refused to let go of that…man's hand he…" Shelia had to stop as she shuddered at the thought.

"He won't hurt him anymore he died on the table," Callen said.

"Good," Sheila said.

"NO!" Todd yelled, "No, no, no, no, no, no, SIR!" Todd screamed tears of grief falling down his face.

"Todd." Eric said walking up to his son.

"Sir?" Todd wrapped his arms around Eric's legs. "They lied they said you were dead!" he hyperventilated.

"Todd, it's not Klaus, I'm Eric…remember son, your dad?" Eric crouched down and looked his son in his eyes.

"No….No, you're a lie…Boy doesn't have a dad, boy is good, boy believes." Todd sobbed trying but failing in his pain to push himself away from Eric. Eric couldn't help his own tears falling as he looked in despair at Callen.

"Todd, do you remember me…I'm Callen, your friend, I was going to teach you to drive your car….remember the Impala?"

Todd covered his ears and rocked letting out a keening wail. "No! It's not true, it was a lie….Boy is good now, boy doesn't believe the lies!" his voice got higher and higher; Sheila moved deftly Todd and injected him with a sedative. Todd jumped as the needle went in and instinctively grabbed his father as he started to go under he looked at Eric, "Daddy?" he asked as he passed out.

Eric gathered his boy in his arms and rocked him shushing him and stroking his hair.

"Callen, will this ever be over, will I ever get my children back?" he asked, as Sheila and Callen looked at the devastated man hugging his teenage son.

 


	17. Chapter 17

Todd sat in a chair in the corner of the room, it had been a month since Klaus had died and he hadn't said a word after he had been injected with sedatives. He flinched every time someone tried to touch him and refused to look anyone in the eye.

"Todd?" A voice said quietly as the door opened, "Your father and your sister are here to see you."

Todd stared at the man blankly.

"Hey Todd." Eric said with a hopeful smile. "It's me and Summer, Dr Brightling asked us to come and see you today. She said it would be good for you to see us again and talk."

"Todd, what do you say to your father and sister?" The doctor asked gently.

"Good afternoon." Todd said dispassionately.

"Todd come, sit on the chair next to your father." The doctor said. Todd immediately moved to do as he was ordered and Eric looked on concerned.

Dr Brightling turned to the pair of them, "Now Summer in your sessions, you know your therapy has been aimed at how you felt about what happened to you and how you can rebuild your life…" Summer nodded. "Todd's therapy is a little different, he has to be deprogrammed, right now we have gotten to the stage where he will respond to simple orders, he can't tell us yet how he feels about things. There are still some orders that interfere with what his last master left him with."

Eric looked confused, "Orders?"

Dr. Brightling sighed, "Todd was left with orders to kill himself. He has tried to complete these orders at least three times since he was placed in the unit."

Eric looked sadly at his son as Todd stared unseeing at the wall. "Todd, son….please I need, we…your sister and I need you to come out of this and come back to us." He begged.

Todd looked up briefly and a lone tear escaped and ran down his face. It was only a second and Eric caught it and latched onto the hope it held out for him. "Doctor?" he asked motioning to her.

"Todd, will you go outside with Summer?" Dr Brightling said then corrected herself as Todd didn't move, "Todd walk outside with Summer and once around the gardens then wait on the bench outside my office." She said.

After receiving specific instructions Todd got up as Eric motioned to Summer, "It's ok Hun, it's still on the grounds so you'll be fine."

She nodded to her father and followed her brother out of the door.

* * *

Eric turned to the Doctor. "Doc, tell me honestly, my kids will they be ok?"

The doctor looked at Eric, "Mr. Beale…"

"Eric… please," He said

The doctor nodded and started again, "Eric, both your children have suffered more than any child should ever…Summer is progressing well, and she is still having nightmares and flashbacks. But she is talking about it and isn't, like some victims of rape, holding onto the belief that it is somehow her fault. She knows she is totally blameless in this situation, finding out this morning that she wasn't pregnant was also a relief for her. We also had her test results; she is clear of any STD's and although she had a small infection and some internal bruising she, physically, is for the most part, recovered. Mentally it may take years before she is completely free, she was before this however a well adjusted child and a happy person, she has decided to go back to school and continue to work on her degree."

Eric smiled at this; It had been a long month for Summer, especially her not knowing whether or not she was pregnant. He was glad of the news that the doctor gave him.

The doctor coughed bringing Eric's attention back to her, "Todd however, I have been talking to a specialist who deals with cult members who need deprogramming, Todd spent many years in Klaus' hands. He was ok while he first stayed with you, from what I got from him, he had been under orders from Klaus to do what you told him, to blend in and settle. Then he was to eventually steal any useful information he could get from you and bring it back to his master."

"Why do you refer to my brother as his master?" Eric asked.

"That is how Todd refers to him. Todds' whole life he followed what Klaus told him to do, He has only known this master/slave life. He doesn't yet realize what he had with you as being real; he thinks you were in on it and following your own master's orders."

"My Master?" Eric asked confused.

Dr Brightling looked at her notes, "Yes a Hetty Lange?"

"Oh that's my boss." Eric explained with a smile.

The doctor nodded "I expected as much, I asked Hetty to come by tomorrow if that's ok with you, I need to see if he will listen to her, in the meantime we are still working with positive reinforcement therapy, he is slowly learning to follow orders of other people he sees as in a dominant position. However he is right now at his most venerable. If he left now, mostly anyone could order him to do anything." The doctor said, "My colleague and I think we can get him at least functioning to think on his own in three months, maybe sooner." She told him hopefully.

Eric nodded, "Thank you Doc," he said.

* * *

Callen and Hetty arrived as requested outside the secure unit that the Beale children were staying; Summer was due to go home today, Callen had offered to be there when Hetty saw Todd. Eric pulled up beside them.

"Hey guys, thanks for this." He said with a slight smile.

"I am pleased to hear that Miss Beale will be coming home today." Hetty said, "How is she?" she asked her concern genuine.

"Not fully recovered, but well enough to leave," Eric said, "She is going to have regular visits with a therapist at monthly intervals from now on, and we have a support mentor set up to help her back into college life." He felt with his daughter he had all of his bases covered.

They walked in and Summer had all her bags packed and was sitting in her room.

"Callen! Hetty!" She said smiling.

"Miss Summer, It's nice to see you again," Hetty said pleased to see Summer smiling.

"I get to go home today, I'm looking forward to getting out on my surf board again, I haven't been able to surf for far too long, I need the water." She replied honestly.

Callen laughed, "You're your father's daughter, for sure."

"Hey Sum," Eric said catching up and sticking his head in the door and throwing a piece of paper at her.

"Is that it?!" she asked excitedly.

"Yep, all up to date." Eric replied as Summer launched herself off her bed and hugged him,

"Thank you, thank you, and thank you!" She exclaimed excitedly.

Callen and Hetty looked confused.

"Up to date surf reports." Eric explained. "And Summer, your board is waxed an in the car with your wetsuit."

Her smile got even bigger, for Eric it was the most perfect thing he had seen in months.

It had been three months since both the children had been placed in the unit, Eric had been by most days after work, cases permitting. Todd had been progressing in the two months since the meeting with the doctor and he was glad one of his children was well enough to come home. Hetty had been a few times to visit with Todd as she had slowly convinced him that Eric was not her slave and was in fact her employee and that he was free to make his own decisions as was Todd.

Due to her standing in his eyes, Todd had slowly started to listen to her. Callen hadn't seen Todd yet, but he had asked about him. Every time Eric had asked him to go there had been a case or a reason why he couldn't, Finally Eric had cornered Callen in the mission after a case and had just asked him.

* * *

"Callen, why won't you visit Todd, He was close to you, I think it would do him a world of good to see you?" Eric asked.

"Not now Eric I have to go….help Sam in the gym."

"Sam's gone home." Eric said flatly. "Callen, if you don't want to be part of my kid's life it's fine, or has he done something to upset you…or have I?" Eric asked worried.

"GOD NO!" Callen exclaimed. He turned and leant over the railing on the balcony, noticing that everyone else had already left.

"Callen?" Eric asked.

"I know…" Callen said so softly Eric almost didn't catch it.

"You know what?" he asked.

"I know what Todd's going through, I've been there…I forgot all about it until this happened….She…." Callen's voice faltered. "She was my second foster mother…The last one I trusted, I was seven…" He walked towards a large plant in the corner and started picking at the leaves.

"I was with her until I accidently called her Miss…" His throat closed as the bile rose over the word. "I said it in front of a social worker, we were all moved a week later."

"A week?!" Eric asked his parental instincts saying he should have been taken out of there straight away.

"They had to investigate, I was just a kid, The day that they came of an unannounced visit, and I was being punished for speaking without permission. They found me in the Attic, in restraints." Callen told him refusing to look him in the eye,

A light of hope flared in Eric, "But you got past it…you got better?" he said.

"Not entirely Mr. Beale, there are and always will be parts of Mr. Callen that will still respond to his first training." Hetty said walking up on the two of them.

"But it was years ago?" Eric argued, "Callen's a grown man now."

"CAL. SIT!" Hetty snapped and without thinking Callen dropped to the ground and then glared at Hetty although he had understood why she had done it he hated that she had.

"Hetty!" Callen exclaimed.

Eric looked at him incredulously. "Callen?"

Callen got up and walked away unconsciously rubbing his wrist.

"He will be fine and I will talk to him later Mr. Beale, you have to understand, Mr. Callen went through the same techniques that Todd is going through now, No one and the emphasis is on NO ONE, knows of this, Mr. Callen talked to me a month ago about talking to you about this, but it goes no further than us three, ever!" she told him.

* * *

Looking over at Callen now he could see the trepidation in his eyes knowing that he wasn't only going to visit Todd, but he would come face to face with the man who had deprogrammed him as a child. But Callen was voluntarily taking this step in an attempt to show Todd that there was life after this and that he would eventually be ok.

"Are you sure he's ok to do this?" Eric asked Hetty.

Hetty looked at the man who was to all intents and purposes her surrogate son, "I think Mr. Beale, and he needs to do this as much as your son does."

She turned her attention to the young woman who was carrying her last bag to the car. "Mr. Beale, you need to go and bond again with your daughter, Your surfboard is in my car, the trunk is unlocked, and I thought it might save time for you if I brought it."

Eric looked at the small woman again, stunned, "How did you know?" he asked.

Hetty just smiled and turned away as Eric ran to catch up with his daughter.

 


	18. Chapter 18

Callen stood outside the door and looked with trepidation at the door handle. He knew Todd was inside and it was for the kid, Eric's kid, the kid who looked upon him as an uncle and protector that he was doing this. But he knew some of what lay behind the door and even though he had agreed to do this, his inner response was to run. This was a part of his life he had left, he hadn't totally conquered it but he had moved on.

He turned to find the six foot bulk of the Psychologist/de-programmer that had helped him in his youth standing right behind him.

"Still fighting the urge to run back to her?" Doctor Peterson asked him.

Callen dropped his eyes and nodded.

"You doing good otherwise?" the doctor asked him.

Callen sighed, "Yeah, thanks doc; Does Todd know I'm coming?" he asked.

"I told him I knew of someone who had the same sort of upbringing for a while who had overcome it and lived a normal life."

Callen shot him a look, and the doctor grinned,

"Ok so as normal as it can get for you."

"Will he see me?" Callen asked.

"He said he would. Now you don't have to do this for Todd, but it would help his recovery."

"I do have to; Eric is my friend, Todd thinks of me as his uncle. I want to do this." Callen said.

Corey Peterson looked at the man and saw how far he had come since he had met him as a terrified six year old, he was proud of just how far he had come.

Callen rubbed his wrist again and Corey noticed it. "Callen, are you sure?" he asked again, knowing that the wrist rubbing was a coping mechanism from when he was a child.

Callen nodded and stepped forward and opened the door.

* * *

Todd turned and moved into the corner where he had a perfect view of the room.

"Callen?" he said confused.

Callen came in and sat down as Dr. Peterson followed.

"Todd, will you please sit down?" He said

Slowly Todd walked towards the chair and sat down.

Callen gave Todd a weak smile and Todd turned to the doctor, "Has something happened to Eric?" he asked scared.

"No, Eric is fine, Do you remember I told you that today you would meet someone who had been through the same sort of thing you had and had offered to help with your recovery; Someone who had made a life for themselves away from the Master/slave dynamic?"

Todd nodded not trusting he would say the right thing.

"Callen is the person I told you about." Corey Peterson said his hand on Callen's shoulder.

"You!" Todd's eyes went wide in shock.

Callen nodded, "I was six, when I first met with Doctor Peterson." Callen said as Corey got up and left the room.

* * *

He walked down the corridor and spotted Hetty sitting on a bench, "Henrietta, so good to see you again." He said smiling.

She smiled back, "How are the boys doing?" She asked.

"I left them to talk alone, not just because I know that Callen needs to tell him in private, but to be honest, I still see the pain in Callen's eyes and see that terrified six year old, I can't go there again."

"I know that your work his hard doctor," Hetty said.

"It is but to see that child reduced to so much of a wreck that he couldn't even remember his own name…I still need therapy myself from helping him, although seeing the man he has become…and a federal agent no less, I couldn't be more prouder." Corey said with a slight smile.

"He never talks about it, not with his own therapist, Not Mr. Getz or myself…This could be good for him too." She said thoughtfully.

"I have told them I will be an hour, would you like to join me for tea, I assume you still drink tea?" Corey asked, he stood and offered the smaller woman his arm.

"Thank you." Hetty said and followed him.

* * *

"So," Todd asked having listened to what Callen had told him, "You betrayed your mistress like I did my master, how did you…did you punish yourself?" he asked

"I didn't….ok I did, I tried to get back to her, I tried everything I could, Dr. Peterson helped me, he showed me that she was wrong, she shouldn't have done what she did to me, I didn't need to be punished I did nothing wrong." Callen said.

"You disobeyed your mistress..?" Todd said still confused.

"No I broke free, she was a woman who should not have treated a child the way she treated me." Callen said honestly.

"But we deserve it….Don't we?" Todd asked.

Callen got out of his chair and crouched down in front of Todd. "No, no one deserves to be made to feel bad or be hurt by another person's actions; you were not to blame for Klaus's behavior any more than I was for hers. You have a family, a real family…a family that loves you…the real you because you are their family, you don't have to be anything more than you."

"I do? I mean I know I do but, how do I know they won't want me to be like Si…..Klaus?"

"You have a father and sister who love you more than anything, all they want is for you to be well, I wish I had had half of that," Callen said sadly thinking about how much easier it would have been if he had had even that to fall back on when he was recovering.

* * *

Hetty finished her tea and turned to Corey as he watched her.

"Do you think Todd will make it through like Mr. Callen did?" she asked.

Corey nodded, "Todd has a lot more in his favor than Callen did, and he has his family and all of you to be there for him. Callen not only had to pull himself through this alone, he did it whilst being shoved from one foster home to another." Corey said remembering how he had followed the fate of the small shaking blond haired, blue eyed boy who had stolen his heart as a child, he had been upset at the fact that his age and the fact he was single had prevented him from adopting the boy, that and the fact there was no complete paperwork, with no name they couldn't put him up for adoption so Corey had just prided himself in keeping an eye on Callen's achievements and just wish he had gotten to know the young man better.

Hetty nodded agreeing with the doctor, "Maybe we should head back and see how they are doing." She suggested.

* * *

On walking into the room both of them stopped.

Callen, tears still rolling down his face was holding Todd who was sobbing his heart out, neither could see them as they were facing the window.

"Will my dad want me now?" Todd asked.

"He does, your father loves you as does your sister, don't ever forget that, I will always be around if you need me as well, you know that don't you?" Callen asked.

Todd nodded. "Who did you have to help you?" Todd asked.

Callen wiped his eyes and smiled, "A very special lady, called Hope," he said.

At that point he felt bad but he wasn't exactly lying, he had had hope only it wasn't a person it was a thing. He had hope that he would find his family and hope he would find his name and hope he would find the one place he had belonged.

"Mr. Beale, Mr. Callen, may we come in?" Hetty asked he voice steady and her heart breaking at what she had just witnessed.

Both boys wiped their eyes and turned, "Sure Hetty." Callen smiled, "I think we are done."

Callen got up to leave.

"Uncle G?" Todd asked quietly.

Callen turned surprised.

"Will you come back and visit me?" Todd asked.

"If you want every day." Callen promised.

"I think….I think, I would like that…thank you…for helping fix me." Todd said softly.

"You're not broken, just lost kid," Callen said hugging him tight, "Remember that," He turned and walked out of the room Hetty on his heels.

"Mr. Callen?" she called.

Callen stopped, "Bring him home Hetty, give that boy what you couldn't give me, give him his family."

"Oh, Mr. Callen, I will, and I hope that one day you will realize you have a family too." She said as she watched him walk off to process the day's events.

 


	19. Chapter 19

It had been another month of intensive therapy for Todd but at the end of this week, he was finally coming home.

Callen had walked off from the center a month ago, He had gone back to work but had been distant and snappy then he had walked out of work, he had left a leave request on Hetty's desk and then he had just left, despite the team trying to see him he hadn't been seen for a week after that and then exactly a week later he turned up at work, brushed off all questions as to where he had been from his partner and Kensi and Deeks and just sat down and did his paperwork.

Hetty had talked to them and told them that he had helped Todd in getting better and then needed a vacation, she had not told them that unusually for her, she hadn't heard from him either while he was away.

Eric came down the stairs as soon as he heard that Callen was back.

"Hey Callen." He said

Callen looked up "Hey Eric, How's the kids?" he asked.

"Summer is great, she's finally back at UCLA full-time and her grades are already back on point. Todd's finished his therapy, he did a weekend at home, last weekend and he comes back fully at the end of the week." Eric said grinning like a lunatic; although it faltered a bit when he mentioned Todds' therapy, he wanted to tell Callen how much he appreciated his help, but here in the bullpen was not the place to do it.

"Glad to hear it," Callen said, not elaborating on anything.

"How are you doing?" Eric asked him trying to be as vague as possible.

Callen instantly knew what he meant and put up his walls, "Fine…I have to give Hetty a report," He said and stood up and walked away.

The others looked in shock, Callen had never snapped at Eric…He was hardly ever snappish with anyone; he never wanted anyone to see that much emotion.

* * *

Callen dropped a file on Hetty's desk and slumped in the over-sized armchair she hid in the back corner where she would sit and listen to her Agents through the antiquated air duct system and then surprise them with how much she knew.

Callen curled up and closed his eyes.

"Is this report for me?" Hetty asked quietly walking over to him.

"Dunno," He shrugged.

"Mr. Callen, are you ok?" she asked.

Callen sighed, "I dunno…" He admitted

He looked at her, "Todd's coming home this week, his therapy's progressed well, and it was a good thing talking to him….wasn't it?"

Hetty took a typists chair bringing her up to his height and sat next to him.

"It was good for Todd…how about you?"

"She's dead….I went to see her…I needed….did you know she was dead?" he asked, he watched as she nodded.

"What did you need?" She asked.

"Permission, forgiveness…closure…I guess." He said sadly. "Todd said I had failed her…I thought maybe…She would have some answers about me; for me."

Callen sneezed and Hetty looked at him again, he looked tired and drawn.

"Where have you been?" she asked again, Callen looked away.

"I…" He started to get up; Hetty put a hand on his shoulder.

"Cal, where have you been?"

Callen shook, "please…don't….I…."

"Cal, now!" Hetty hated using this tactic but she knew it would get information she may need from him quicker.

The others in the bullpen looked up at the raised voices but didn't move, whatever was going on between Callen and Hetty was obviously private.

Callen got up and tried to walk away. He took three steps when Hetty pulled her trump card.

"CAL REPORT!" she shouted and instantly he dropped to his knees.

Within moments he composed himself and got up walked to the edge of her office, as mad as hell.

"I was with her ok….All week, I haven't left her, do you know how much it took me to leave…and you do this…..BITCH!" He yelled and stormed right past a shocked team as Eric came running out of ops.

"CAL STOP!" She shouted at him, rooted to the spot his hands clenched to his sides he stopped.

* * *

He had heard Callen yelling and Hetty call him Cal. Knowing what he knew he came to Callen's' defense.

"Hetty! How could you?" Eric said.

"I needed to get him to talk to me. I needed to know and he needs a doctor." She walked up to him, "Mr. Callen I am sorry, but you need to see Dr. Peterson and a paramedic, Eric can you call them now." She said.

Callen started to sway, he was exhausted with the effort of fighting the order Hetty had given him, that with the exposure for the nights that Callen had lain beside his Mistress's grave willing himself to leave but not being able to he was mentally and physically on the edge.

Hetty and Sam guided Callen to the couch and lay him down, "I'm sorry Hetty…" He said ashamed as she covered him with a blanket.

"Its fine Mr. Callen, we both went too far." She reassured him.

"No…I didn't go far enough." Callen mumbled as exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep.

Hetty caught that as she was leaving, "Sam are the paramedics on their way?"

"I called them," Kensi said, she looked down and saw a small drip of blood on the tiled floor looking up she saw a small drop of blood on his finger "He's bleeding."

Hetty lifted his shirt sleeve and saw a bloody elastic band around his wrist, "OH Mr. Callen…not again." She said sadly.

She walked off looking for the first aid kit, so she had it at the ready by the time the paramedic arrived.

"Toby?" Eric said recognizing him from the hospital. Toby had looked him up having found out what he had done and personally apologized to Eric and Todd for what he had done.

"Wow Eric man, nice to see you, who's hurt?" He asked.

Noticing Callen on the sofa Toby's new partner looked at him, "Callen…" the other man said.

The others looked in shock; Callen never used his real name in hospitals.

"I can give him basic first aid, but I can't treat him." The man said, "We need to call another team in, Apart from his wrists and thighs, is he hurt anywhere else?" the man asked.

"You haven't even touched him how in the hell do you know what's wrong with him?" Sam asked the older man.

The man ignored Sam and turned to Toby, "Tobes, I need gauze and scissors and saline, for his wrists and small gauze pads for his thighs."

"Okay Boss."

* * *

"Raymond?" Hetty said as she walked up, "I didn't realize; have you called for a back up team?" Hetty asked.

"Toby's calling as we speak; I'll just give him basic first aid." Ray said already cleaning his wounds. "How long has he been out there this time?"

"A week." Hetty said.

Ray rolled his eyes and started gently tapping Callen on the cheek. "G…G, come on wake up."

"Fuck off Ray." Callen slurred.

Ray smiled at least he knows it's me this time.

"Back to work." Hetty said to the others, Kensi and Deeks turned and walked to the bullpen, Sam refused to move.

"Who the hell is he and why won't he treat Callen?" Sam snapped.

"I can't treat Callen, he's my brother." Ray said.

"Shh Ray, I'm sleepin'" Callen slurred and turned away from the annoying voice.

"Aw Christ! CAL!" Ray said looking at the bruises on his back as he turned over.

Callen sat bolt upright at the use of the name. "Son of a…..RAY! What the hell?"

Ray looked at his little foster brother and glared at him, "I should be asking you that, what set you back bro?"

"I….helped a friend…it kinda backfired on me." Callen said. Ray sat on the sofa next to him and placed an arm across his shoulder, "its ok Bro, we're free from her…we're safe now." Callen turned his head and unashamedly wept on Ray's shoulder.

* * *

"How long you been bleeding?" Ray asked.

Callen gave a half-hearted shrug, "Dunno, few days…maybe more."

Ray glared at Sam then looked at Callen, "We have to take you to the hospital, what the hell set you off this time?"

"Saw Peterson, Had to, I had to help a kid…" his eyes rolled back again.

Sam looked at Hetty, "Who the Hell is this and who is this Peterson…and what is going on with my partner?"

"Not now Mr. Hanna…" Hetty said as another paramedic team turned up.

"Mr.?" The paramedic asked.

"Peters." Ray said, "He's my little brother."

The Paramedic started checking him out and Callen pulled away, leaning closer to Ray. Looking at his wounds the Paramedic looked at Ray, "Does he have a Therapist?"

"Dr. Peterson…For this." Ray said.

"No…" Callen tried to pull away, "Not again, Can't do this again…please Ray, don't let em…" Callen's voice trailed off as the paramedic injected him with a sedative and laid him down on the gurney.

* * *

Eric had stood just outside the circle of people and watched as Callen was placed on a gurney and wheeled out to the bus, he grasped Hetty's arm as she went with Sam to follow him, "Did I do this…Did helping Todd do this to him?" Eric asked.

"Not exactly Mr. Beale, it in a way helped Mr. Callen as much as it helped your son, Where Todd received his therapy follow up, Dr. Peterson offered Mr. Callen follow up therapy before he left but Mr. Callen turned him down."

"Oh, Can I help at all, I owe him Hetty." Eric said earnestly.

"Come to the hospital, maybe you, Mr. Hanna and Mr. Peters can convince Callen he has a family too and he can heal as much as Todd can."Hetty told him, "Maybe, what happened will finally help both boys to heal." She said to herself as she turned to follow the ambulance.

 


	20. Chapter 20

Todd stood holding his bag as Summer and Eric came around the corner.

"Hey, guys, I thought Callen was coming with you to pick me up?" He asked a little disappointed, Callen had promised him when they had talked and he wanted to get through his homecoming without messing anything up.

He shifted his feet and looked at the floor waiting to get yelled at, but instead Eric pulled him into a hug. "I've missed you son, I'm sorry Callen couldn't make it, he's busy hopefully we can see him in a few days though, yeah?" Eric suggested.

Mindful of what Todd had been through, Eric was trying hard to avoid ordering his son to do anything, at least until he settled back at home with them.

"Hey, Squirt, do you remember your room?" Summer asked grabbing Todd's bag and throwing it at Eric to carry to the car.

Todd shook his head, he did remember bits and pieces but Callen had suggested until he saw everything for himself he was to not believe what was in his head. The room in his head was dark and dank and had a cold metal bunk. He really hoped that this was one of those 'wrong' memories that Callen told him he would probably have.

Summer sensing his fear, held his hand, he flinched slightly but held on tight to her as they approached the car.

His eyes lit up as he realized they were going to be getting in the car he had dreamed of, a 1967 Chevvy Impala.

"Nice car." He said quietly.

"Yes it is, it belongs to you, you know?" Eric said putting his hand on his shoulder.

"This…this is mine? I own something?" Todd was stunned, boy had not been allowed to own anything, but Todd could.

This was the way that Callen had taught him and he had used with Dr. Peterson, Boy was another person, Boy did not exist anymore, but Todd did and Todd was real and he was Todd.

'Todd  **exists** , Todd  **is real** ,  **I am Todd**  and  **this is real**.' He said over and over in his head.

He closed his eyes on the ride home relishing the feel of the wind and warm sunlight on his face, thinking of his mantra over and over again.

* * *

Pulling up outside a large house Todd could hear the ocean.

"You live here sir?" Todd asked distractedly.

"We live here Todd, we are a family, and I am your dad." Eric said kindly waiting for Todd to get out of the car.

Todd took the hint and climbed out looking at the large building.

"Come on….you gotta see your room!" Summer said.

Todd flinched but obeyed the order.

"Summer!" Eric admonished, they had both been told not to order but to suggest and allow him to feel able to make decisions for himself.

"Don't hurt her Sir…er…Dad, She didn't mean too!" Todd said putting himself between the two of them.

Eric crouched down to be on eye level with his son.

"Todd, I am not angry at her I am just correcting a mistake she made, while I may raise my voice at you both from time to time as your father, I will NEVER hit you, and if you make a mistake we will talk about how we both feel about it and punishments…." Eric stopped as Todd moved away, he gulped and continued.

"Punishments in this household are the restriction of visitors, removal for a small period of time of your personal items, such as your TV or Surf board and for the worst things I will ground you without internet privileges for anything other than Education." He said; he knew most of this was going over Todd's head right now but hoped that some of it got through.

"Yes Sir," Todd said his eyes looking at his feet.

"Todd?" Eric said, "Please, when you are ready I would like for you to feel able to call me dad…or Eric."

"Would you like to go and see your room and put your bag down?" Eric asked him.

Todd nodded; the last thing he wanted was to upset anyone. "Yes please…d...dad." he said.

Eric grinned and led the way, with his hand on Todd's shoulder.

* * *

Walking into his room, Todd was assailed by a shower of memories, all of them nice…suddenly he sat heavily… "Uncle G…!" he said holding his head.

In an instant Eric dropped Todd's bag and was by his side. "Todd, Son what is it?"

"I…I think I hurt someone badly?" Todd said.

"How?" Eric asked "who?"

"Callen…Uncle G?" Todd said.

Eric sat on the edge of the bed his arm around his shaking son, "Do you think you can tell me what you think you have done?" he asked and Todd nodded.

* * *

Todd had sat listening to Callen try and convince him that his Master was wrong.

"You disobeyed your mistress..?" Todd had said to Callen still confused.

"No I broke free, she was a woman who should not have treated a child the way she treated me." Callen had said honestly.

"But we deserve it….Don't we?" Todd had asked.

Callen got out of his chair and had crouched down in front of Todd. "No, no one deserves to be made to feel bad or be hurt by another person's actions; you were not to blame for Klaus's behavior any more than I was for hers. You have a family, a real family…a family that loves you…the real you because you are their family, you don't have to be anything more than you."

"I do? I mean I know I do but, how do I know they won't want me to be like Si…..Klaus?"

"You have a father and sister who love you more than anything, all they want is for you to be well, I wish I had had half of that," Callen had said.

Todd got mad, "Sir loved me more than anything and you took him away!" he snapped, "And when you betrayed your mistress what did you get, YOU have no one...no one wants you, why would anyone want me?" Todd said angrily crying as Callen sat staring at him.

"Is there an end to this?" Todd had asked afraid.

"For you...Yes, trust them, you have a family that loves you, Boy does not exist anymore, but Todd does and Todd is real and you are Todd. Remember that, because you,  **you** are lucky,  **you**  get a happy ending. You have someone in your life who loves you enough to take you in." Callen had turned as Hetty and Dr. Peterson had entered.

"He never said anything after that he just left." Todd told Eric, "I was so mean to him, is that why he isn't here, does he hate me?" Todd asked.

Eric knew he would upset Todd, but he refused to lie to him.

"Callen's hurt, he's in the hospital, I know if he could he would be here and I know he does not hate you." He told Todd.

"I need to see him!" Todd insisted.

* * *

Callen woke up, an IV inserted in his arm was slowly giving him a blood transfusion, he knew he must have lost a lot of blood; punishment usually did that to him. But he couldn't remember how he had made it to the hospital.

Then he remembered.

He closed his eyes and groaned and he realized he had called Hetty a bitch…ok so she deserved it, but she was going to kill him…he really shouldn't bother waking up. He thought to himself trying to hold back the smirk that threatened to cross his face…but he couldn't.

"Something funny Mr. Callen?" Hetty voice came floating into his consciousness.

"Yeah I'm alive." Callen deadpanned.

"No thanks to you." Ray said.

Callen opened his eyes with a snap, "Ray?"

"Hey lil G, how you feeling?" Ray asked leaning back in his chair and looking Callen over.

"Fine." Callen snapped, his head throbbed and his back and arms ached, "Why are you here?" he asked.

Ray opened his mouth to answer and then realized that Callen wasn't talking to him. He was talking to Hetty.

"I am here because you need your family around you Mr. Callen; you need to not be alone."

"Needed that for years, didn't stop you then…" Callen snapped, suddenly realizing he had to be on pain killers, his mouth was being far too loose for its own good. "Why be here now?"

"Because you need me now." Hetty said standing up and walking to his bed. She touched his hand and he flinched away from her.

He raised himself up and looked her in the eye.

"I needed you when I was a kid. You took in those others, why not me…why have all those children, the special ones, you've taken them in helped them and then used them…why not me…what was wrong with me, was it because I disobeyed my mistress, because I was broken…why wasn't I good enough!" He found himself yelling.

He stopped as he saw a tear work its way down Hetty's face but as shocked as he was he couldn't let go…he raised himself so he was staring at her.

She turned and walked out of the room, not paying attention to the fact that the whole team were standing in the door behind her and had watched Callen's emotional outburst.

A doctor walked in and looked at all the people and at his patient breathing heavily looking stressed.

"Family only everyone else must leave."

"We are family." Sam said.

"No you're not, I don't have any." Callen turned away.

"Callen? What just happened?" Sam asked.

"GET OUT!" Callen yelled and then sighed "I don't have a family, you are not family..." He insisted.

"I was wrong…you do have a family, you do deserve a family and I'm sorry….uncle G?" Todd's voice spoke up from behind them.

The team moved and let the boy in, he walked up and sat on the bed and grabbed Callen's hand.

"Uncle G, I think we need to talk again." Todd said.

 


	21. Chapter 21

Todd walked up to the bed and sat on the edge.

"Go home kid," Callen said not looking at him.

"I was wrong Uncle G, I didn't realize what I was saying, I'm sorry it hurt you." Todd said looking at him sadly.

Callen turned and looked the boy in the eye, "What I said right there, that was not your fault. You are not to blame for what I am saying to them, to her, it needed to be said; only these Damn painkillers are just making me talk too much."

"Neither are you, You did not betray your mistress, you were a kid like me, but there are people around now who love you, who care about you, and who you care about, and you are pushing them away when you need them most. They love you uncle G, let them help you…please."

Callen sat up and looked at Todd, "Thanks kid," He smiled and hugged him, "You wanna give me a few minutes?" he asked.

Todd nodded and went to find his family.

* * *

The second the door shut, Callen went to work. He pulled out the IV and tied it in a knot so as not to make a mess on the floor, grabbing his clothes he put them on and slipped on his shoes. He opened the door a crack and saw Sam sitting with Hetty and he seemed to be consoling her, hurt flashed across his face at the fact that he may have hurt her, she meant more to him than anyone else, which made his mind up more.

Callen slipped through the shared bathroom and slid out the door, "Going somewhere?" Eric asked, having taken up residence in an armchair in the vacant room next door.

"I…I was…" Callen couldn't think, 'damn painkillers'

"You were running away weren't you?" Eric admonished.

"So what if I was?" Callen asked on the defensive.

"You think Hetty deserves what you said; you know how much she cares for you?"

Callen shrugged, "Dunno."

Eric sat up straight, "You're on painkillers and probably still a bit anemic after that bonehead stunt you pulled so I'm gonna let that slide, but you are also a role model to my boy, just how do you think your running away will affect him, he already feels bad about what he said to you, he's just a kid and doesn't know any better…you're an adult," Eric stood, "Listen, Callen you're a grown man and I'm not going to tell you what to do, but if you think I'm gonna let you upset my boy, by running away and making him think all your behavior is his fault, you got another thing coming, now get back in there!" Eric turned him around and guided him to the door back to his room.

Eric lowered Callen back to the bed, "You wanna go lone-wolf, wait till you're officially out of here…please." He said looking at Callen who wouldn't look at him.

He sighed and turned to go.

"Eric…Wait!" Callen said quietly.

Eric turned and looked at him, he suddenly realized just how broken the man in the bed seemed. If they hadn't helped Todd he could have been just like him. Eric looked at him kindly.

"Help me." Callen whispered.

Within seconds Eric walked across the room, not caring if anyone saw them, he wrapped his arms around Callen, "I will, we all will, it'll be ok…there is an end to this and I promise, you won't do this alone."

Finally, after years of holding all the pain in, Callen's dam broke.

He sobbed, big heart-wrenching, body racking sobs that he had never been allowed to let out before. Eric levered himself onto the bed and pulled Callen to him.

The door opened a crack and Todd stuck his head in, Eric mouthed "Get Hetty" to him and he nodded.

* * *

Todd turned to the others who heard the sound from Callen's room.

Moving to stand near his sister for support, Todd took a deep breath, he needed to do this, he owed Callen and he needed to repay his debt.

"OK, listen…please." Todd said his bravado starting to falter.

The others looked over at him in surprise. "Is everything ok?" Sam asked, starting to move towards the door, Todd reached a hand out to stop him, "Uncle G is going to need all of us but right now, he's gonna need Hetty and Ray."

"Why you, I'm his partner?" Sam complained.

"Yeah! I'm his brother and I know what he's going through…I've been there, what he's going to need is a family, to him you guys are a family, so if you can be there for him as that then step up, otherwise, just leave, he needs this." Ray said, "Could you fetch Doc Petey kid?" He asked Todd.

Todd looked at him… "You're one of us?" he asked.

"Yeah, did all my therapy, I didn't hide it like your uncle G," Ray said, "There is an end, you're doing great, now it's time to help your uncle."

Todd smiled and grabbed Summer's hand, "Come with?" he asked,

Summer nodded and the two siblings headed down to Dr. Peterson's office.

* * *

Ray and Hetty opened the door slowly. Sam stood behind them, acting as a buffer between his partner and the two junior agents.

They stood stock still at the sight that greeted them, In the ten minutes it had taken to sort themselves out, Callen had moved on the bed and Eric was holding him, the same way Hetty had seen him holding Todd during one of his nightmares.

Moving to the bed Callen hadn't even noticed them come in, he couldn't stop the tears that were now flowing, he tried, and he needed to put his masks back up before he was seen. He felt someone holding him and realized with a shock it was Eric, he tried to pull away, but Eric rubbed his back and made a comforting noise that only made him sob harder.

Hetty walked up to Eric and tapped on his arm.

"May I?" she asked.

Callen looked up and saw her there, a look of sorrow on her face, not because she was full of sympathy, but because she was full of love, her child was hurting and he needed her. It was just that, plain and simple.

"G, we are here for you, I made a mistake, please…I'm sorry." Hetty said holding her arms out.

Callen moved to her, he held her tight, "I…I'm…S…Sorry….so….use…useless…Shouldn't….be…like …a…baby…" he sobbed.

"You are not a baby, you have had things happen to you, you need to work them out, with family and not alone." She said to him.

"Don't…..Don't have family…." He sniffed, "Too broken…my fault…Should have saved her…"

Hetty looked at them all, "May I have a moment with Mr. Callen please?" She asked.

Sam nodded and backed out of the room, he couldn't wait to leave, seeing his partner like this was unnerving and he didn't like it, he liked enemies he could shoot…this not so much.

Ray and Eric lingered, concerned - one for his friend the other for his brother.

Hetty looked at them again and they too eventually left the room heading in the direction of Dr. Peterson's room.

* * *

"Mr. Callen….Callen….G, please look at me," Hetty said softly.

Callen's sobs had subsided to small sniffles now and he wiped his eyes and looked at her. "You were not too broken, there is nothing wrong with you, Clara was my friend and what happened to her was not your fault, you were only four years old. If I could have prevented you going into that home, I would have, but they were watching me…I couldn't go to you for fear of them finding you and your sister and killing you."

"How long were they watching you?" Callen asked his curiosity peaked.

"I think till you were about 35," she replied honestly. "I watched you for all those years; I was horrified when I found out what she did to you." Hetty said avoiding the use of the name, not wanting to upset him.

"Dr. Peterson and Todd, both said I would need to talk to my family to heal…I couldn't then and I can't now." Callen sighed, "I am alone. I am always alone and I HATE IT!" Callen thumped the nightstand by his bed and Hetty looked at him.

"You have never been alone. I always watched over you and your…." Hetty stopped talking realizing what she had nearly said.

Callen caught it and looked up, "My?" he asked as the door opened.

"Mr. Callen, I am glad to see you're awake, shall we check those meds?" Dr. Peterson asked.

Callen looked at Hetty, but didn't move, "My…What?" He prodded.

"I need a few moments with Mr. Callen alone." Dr. Peterson insisted.

"No! Wait… Hetty!" Callen pleaded.

Hetty turned, "I just meant your sister Mr. Callen, please, and I don't know anything more," she lied as she left the room to allow the doctor to talk to him.

Todd sat outside on the chair, "Ms Hetty is he going to be ok?" Todd asked Eric standing behind him with his hands on his sons shoulders in a show of support.

"Dr. Peterson is in with him now, I think he will be," she said excusing herself and walking away.

* * *

Sam followed her to the car park.

"It has been long enough…" Hetty said talking into her phone as she walked to her car, "Your son needs you, it's time you told him who you are." She leant against her car and sighed. "Please, a lot has happened, there is a lot here that needs fixing, He doesn't need to know who you are but you need to see him, as you…he still thinks you're his friend and right now he needs those." She waited as the man on the other end talked, she smiled, "Do svidanya." She said and closed the phone.

Turning to see Sam standing there she cursed silently.

"How much did you hear Mr. Hanna?" She asked.

"Enough…You know who his father is and right now he needs that."Sam said standing up for his partner.

"No, He does not need that right now, however, his father may, as he has done oft in the past, turn up to see him in the hospital and give him some support."

"In the past?" Sam couldn't help but ask.

"You have met him once or twice I believe; he also assisted Mr. Callen and Mr. Beale with the extraction of Young Mr. Beale and Miss Beale from Klaus. He is, as he has always been, close by to render assistance."

"SAM!" Todd's voice carried across the parking lot.

Sam turned as Todd came running up, "Summer and I have an idea for Callen, will you help?" he asked, excited with a smile on his face.

Sam couldn't help but return the boy's excited smile, "Sure kid, lead the way," he said turning to follow Todd. He shot Hetty a look, "This isn't over." He said as he walked away.

Hetty watched her agent get led by the hand by the excited boy and sighed, "You know Mr. Hanna I think you may be right." She said to herself and got into her car.

 


	22. Chapter 22

Todd came running down the stairs and crashed into his father who was walking out to the kitchen sending plates crashing all over the floor.

For an instant he froze and then grinned "Sorry Dad, but I found it!" his grin grew wider at the picture Todd had found.

Eric looked at his son with pride, he hadn't freaked or overreacted at the accident, he hoped this would continue and wasn't just because his son had been totally obsessed for the last month in a 'secret-project' with Summer and Sam.

As they had been for the last few nights in a row, they were sat, cross-legged around the coffee table in the living room, Sam handed them a box of stuff that he had dug out of his garage.

"I'm off now!" Eric called after cleaning up the broken plates and washing up the rest of the breakfast things.

All three of them waved absentmindedly, all of them engrossed in their 'project'.

Eric jumped on his Ducati, and rode off down the driveway off to his meeting, he loved these times when it was just him and his bike, his children where safe, finally and he was able to use this time to get his head straight and think.

Todd and Summer were ok, they were safe and well. Todd had gone back to Dr. Peterson and had done some more counseling sessions. Callen was still an inpatient although, Sam had pretty much been caught up with Todd and Summer's project, Finally for the first time in three weeks Callen was allowed visitors, Dr. Peterson had asked for him to attend a meeting with himself, Callen, Ray and Hetty. Not knowing why he was invited Eric had agreed and really hoped that Callen had healed, at least in some way.

* * *

He pulled up in the car park outside the center to see Hetty talking to a man in a janitor's uniform. Feeling Eric's eyes on him the man turned and looked at him and walked off.

Eric started looking at the man, there was something familiar about him, but he couldn't place it.

"Hetty!" he called pulling off his helmet and gloves.

She turned her attention from the man who had walked into the building and smiled at him. "Mr. Beale, I am so glad you could join us."

Eric caught up to her and they walked into the building.

"Is it today? I promised to call Todd if it was, I mean I'm still ok to have him and I think it would be beneficial if he stayed with me." Eric said, he realized he was rambling but he was excited and he knew it.

"I think after today maybe soon, but we should not expect much Mr. Beale; Now Mr. Peters arranged to meet us in the cafeteria before our meeting." Hetty said steering him away from Callen's room as the janitor pushed his cart past him.

* * *

Callen, fully dressed but tired under the new medication was leaning against the wall, his knees tucked under his chin dozing but still ready to move if needed.

There was a knock on the door and a familiar face walked in.

"Harry?" Callen grinned as the familiar janitor walked in, "You're working here now?"

Harry shrugged, "You know me Callen, have to go where the work is…How come you're in here? Did you get shot again?" he asked

Callen shrugged with a small smirk, "You know me Harry, and I've always been trouble."

Harry emptied the trashcan and swept the floor while he talked. "You have that boy." He agreed with a small smile of his own.

Callen looked at the janitor, "You know Harry right now you are my oldest friend…I mean, I was what, 13 when we first met?"

"You remember that?" Harry said leaning on his broom, his knuckles a little whiter than they needed to be.

"Sure, that was the first time…" Callen stopped talking

Harry smiled, "It was a mistake of youth son, all those teenage hormones and you just needed a friend."

Callen laughed, "Yeah and every time, I've been ill, in hospital there you are."

"Like a virus…" Harry smirked.

"I'm on rotation all week, you in for long…I can get the wife to bring you some cookies again."

Callen laughed at that, "You ain't married Harry, you always told me that and besides your cookies are from a packet, but I still love em all the same…I don't know when I'm getting out, have a meeting with Dr. Peterson and my foster brother and Hetty, my boss…you remember her right?" Callen asked.

Harry smiled, "Little creepy woman?"

"Harry!" Callen chuckled, "She's lethal you know."

"So you say Callen, so you say…I gotta carry on, I'll pop by before my shift ends." Harry said

"See ya later." Callen smiled.

He liked Harry, he had met him as a teenager, and he had been in hospital after 'accidently' taking too many pain killers for an 'accidentally' broken wrist. Harry had come in whistling a tune and Callen had thrown a bedpan at him which Harry had caught twirled it in the air and then plonked it down on his bed, "You lose something kid?" he had asked.

Callen had scowled at him, but as soon as he realized he wasn't a doctor or child services he found himself opening up to the man, it seemed that whenever…wherever he was in hospital Harry seemed to pop up as a Janitor.

As Callen had got older he had investigated the man, Harry was a widower who worked for an Agency who floated between all the hospitals in Los Angeles. There wasn't much on the man, but Harry told him he had lead a quiet life.

Walking outside the door, Harry turned back and sighed, "You will be well soon son."

He walked along the hall giving Hetty a small nod as he walked by.

* * *

Hetty, Ray and Eric stood outside Callen's door waiting for Dr. Peterson to come down, "HI!" Corey Peterson's voice boomed down the hall as the large man caught up to them. He pulled Hetty aside before they went in, "Did he come?" he asked quietly

"He did, I passed him in the hall on his way out." Hetty replied.

"And he still doesn't know?" Corey asked

Hetty smiled, "No, not yet, how is Mr. Callen?" she asked him in return.

Corey let out a small sigh and looked at her, "I think he's ready to go home I just need to see how he will be with you guys, Eric I hear you are taking Callen in until he recuperates."

"I am his room is all ready, I gave him the ocean view one next to Todds room," He smiled.

They opened the door.

Callen started a bit, but covered it as they all walked in.

"Hey G!" Ray smiled.

"Hey Ray, how are you?" Callen gave a small smile.

"I'm good man," Ray sat on the end of his bed. Callen turned so his back was 'protected' by the wall.

"Right Gentlemen and Hetty shall we start…" Corey Peterson said as he took his seat next to Hetty.

* * *

The next morning Callen was sitting on the wall outside the center with his bag waiting for Sam to pick him up and take him to Eric's where he had promised to live for the next three months. The meeting had been lively and Corey after a lot of arguing, (Mostly from Callen who thought he was fine to go back to his house) had agreed to let Callen go, but he had to live in a family environment for three months, the idea behind it was not to leave Callen alone too long with his thoughts and allow depression to resettle.

So here he was resigned to staying with Eric, which although he was uncomfortable about being part of a family again, he had to admit, he loved Eric's house. He looked up as Sam drove up and grabbed his bag.

"Any chance of swinging by OSP first?" Callen asked.

"You need something G?" Sam asked.

Callen nodded, he had left something in his desk before he went away, he felt stupid for asking but he didn't want to go to Eric's without it.

Sam nodded, knowing Callen wouldn't ask unless it was important.

"Ok we will go, but I swear, you pick up a case and I will handcuff you to your desk G." Sam promised.

Callen laughed, "Sure Sam, I promise I will not touch the top of my desk or a single file."

"I'm gonna hold you to that." Sam said and they drove to the mission.

For the middle of the day, Ops was quiet, a few agents working over the other side of the building, but not much else, Hetty, Nate, Eric and Nell were not around, and there was no sign of Kensi or Deeks.

"You guys got a case?" Callen asked as he walked in, he was disappointed he had hoped to see them.

"Dunno." Sam shrugged non-committally.

Callen walked up to his desk and opened his draw and took a box out, Sam recognized it as the box that he had seen on the mantel in Callen's house, he raised an eyebrow hoping that Callen would explain, but he said nothing.

"OK Sam, Let's get this over with."

* * *

Arriving at Eric's house Callen found himself gripping his bag tightly.

"Uncle G!" Todd yelled running down the front steps to meet him.

Callen brightened at the sight of the boy, "Todd." He hugged him.

"We have a nice surprise for you; do you want to come in?" Todd asked

Callen nodded, he didn't and his gut clenched, but Todd looked so happy and he didn't want to let him down. Sam put a hand on his shoulder, "It's good G, and Todd's been working on this for weeks."

Taking a deep breath, Callen took his first step towards living with a family for the first time in years.

The door opened and the team was sitting in Eric's living room, there was cake and Callen could smell double double burgers, something he had missed for a while.

Todd grabbed a parcel and handed it to him. "Welcome home Uncle G." he said smiling.

Callen backed up a bit but taking a deep breath he sat down with Todd sitting nearby looking as he opened the present.

"What is it?" He asked.

"It's your family." Todd said,

Callen opened the book, it was a family album, there were pictures of Callen, Sam and the rest of the team, Todd and Summer with Callen, various members of the team with Callen in them.

He stopped as he looked at the last page, "I got these from Hetty, G." Sam told him

There was a picture of Clara and a picture of Amy, "I managed to get hold of these for you." Hetty told him.

Callen turned with tears in his eyes, "Thank you…all." He said.

Eric spotted how uncomfortable he was feeling and knowing what he was going through he nudged Todd, "Can you help Uncle G find his room?" he asked his son.

Todd nodded. "Sure dad….Uncle G, you really should come and see your room!" he said.

Callen nodded smiling at Eric gratefully and left the room.

Nell turned to Eric, "Did we do this wrong; we just wanted him to know he had a family."

"It's all good," Eric reassured her.

"I think Mr. Callen understands we are all here for him, but now I think he needs to rest." Hetty said and with that they said their goodbyes and left.

 


	23. Chapter 23

Callen sat on the bed in his room; there were a few books and the album he had been given when he arrived at Eric's house on the desk that looked out over the beach and the ocean, a few case reports had snuck on there too over the last week or so, thanks to Eric.

He could see now, how coming to Eric's had been a good idea, who knew that the younger man was so family orientated, while his children had their own interests and did their own thing, Summer her surfing and friends from UCLA, Todd, his love of the TV series Supernatural and all things in that genre; Eric insisted that once a week they get together for a meal and family night, which usually involved a barbeque on the patio and chatting, playing music, and a lot of laughs until the sun went down, when Todd would get his telescope and he and Eric would look at the stars that the darkened view of the sky afforded them.

The first week Callen had tried to stay out of the way, until Eric had come up to his room and threatened to drag him to dinner insisting that he was 'family' and a family dinner means  **all** of the family was present. Callen had walked down to the dining room and had felt hungry as the smell of barbecued steak wafted up his nose. After two beers a jacket potato and a steak, Callen was laughing with the family at Todd's exploits with a girl at school.

He looked around the room, knowing that his time here was nearly at an end, but he didn't want to leave. He loved the family atmosphere, he loved watching Eric, father his children and more than anything he loved being the protective uncle on the few times he had picked both children up from school or university.

* * *

Todd had grinned from ear to ear as Callen had pulled up in the Impala, he was wearing the aqua blue shirt that Summer had insisted made his eyes pop and had sent a smoldering smirk in the direction of Todd's teacher who had come out to see the car Todd insisted he owned. She slightly melted at the sight of Callen leaning against the car, Todd had told him all about how the teacher had picked on him saying he wasn't old enough to own a car and he in turn had told Callen and the next day, here he was. Todd sauntered over to the car, "Uncle G!" he said smiling.

"That her?" Callen asked.

Todd looked over at his teacher and smiled, "Miss. Lissaman?" Callen called.

She smoothed down her skirt and walked over, "Mr. Beale?" she asked.

Callen laughed, looking her up and down, tall brunette and a slight South African accent, just his type. His grin grew wider, "No, I'm Todd's uncle, Callen."

"Callen…?"

"Just Callen, I hear you accused him of lying yesterday."

She looked flustered, "Not as such, he was telling the other children he owned a 1967 Chevy Impala, mint condition. Now while I can see you have such a car, there is no way he could afford one or be old enough to own his own car." She said getting on her high horse.

Callen leaned in and got the ownership papers out of the glove box, "You might want to read these. Todd does own this car; he's lent it to me until he gets his driver's license."

She read it as Todd showed a few of his classmates his car, some of the girls came over to look, some fans of the TV show and recognizing the car, a few just crushing on his uncle.

Half an hour later, the two of them were cruising up the PCH both with phone numbers of girls in their pocket. Todd's of girls in his class and Callen with the number of Todd's teacher. They cranked up the stereo and let the warm ocean breeze clear out the cobwebs.

* * *

Pulling up into a car park overlooking the ocean Callen got a couple of sodas out of the car and he and Todd sat on the hood of the car staring out to sea.

"How you doing now, uncle G?" Todd asked.

"Better." Callen admitted looking over at the kid he had come to care for greatly. "You?" he asked.

"I have some bad days," Todd admitted not looking at him, then he turned, "But my good days are more and I love being a part of my family."

Callen nodded in agreement, "I can see why." He said thinking how much he enjoyed being a part of the family also.

Todd leaned putting his head on Callen's shoulder and took a sip of his drink, "You looking forward to going back to work next week?"

"I miss it," Callen admitted, he was apprehensive about going back considering the last time he was there, but also he was relieved, he missed the job immensely.

Todd sat up and hugged his knees, "I'm gonna miss you." He said softly, it was so quiet Callen almost didn't catch it over the sound of the waves.

"Na you won't." Callen smirked, "I'm gonna be around so often you'll be wishing I wasn't there."

Todd laughed, "Never happen. I mean I love my dad and my sister 'n all, but, I can talk about stuff with you, stuff that you only understand."

"Right back at ya short stuff, I know I don't have…I don't think I have any blood family left, but you are and will always be my nephew, you know that?" Callen asked and relaxed as Todd nodded, "When I go home, I'm gonna need your help, I have a few spare rooms, I was thinking…maybe…if you want, you could have a room at my house, and come and stay, sometimes?"

Todd grinned, "Really? I'd love to Uncle G." Todd jumped off the car, "We are going to be late…Dad's gonna ream us out something rotten."

Callen laughed, "Ok sprout, let's head back…"

Eric looked up as Callen and his son walked in. "You're late," Eric said raising an eyebrow at his son.

"It's my fault, I picked him up from school and we went for a drive."

Eric tried unsuccessfully to hide a smirk, "Yeah I had a call from his school, apparently you made quite an impression on Todd's teacher."

"I did?" Callen tried to hide the little bit of hope that blossomed there, she was nice he had to admit, even if she was tough, but she wasn't in law enforcement and maybe…just maybe…one date wouldn't hurt.

Eric grinned as he handed him her number, "She said she had already given this to you, but in case you lost it…" he left the rest unsaid as Callen took the number.

* * *

"So, you all packed?" Eric asked a few weeks later as Callen prepared to head back to his own place before starting work.

"Mostly, there are a few things…" Callen started not really wanting to admit that he wouldn't get to sleep in this room with its calming view.

"That's ok, if you don't wanna take them, you can leave them here, this is and always will be your room, you are a part of my family Callen, and let's face it if you aren't going to store stuff at your house you need somewhere to put things." Eric grinned, "Besides, when you come over for family night, I'm not letting you drive home."

Callen looked stunned, "G, you are like the big brother I always wanted, not the idiots I had for family, but someone who has my back and cares about my children, I wanted to ask…would you not only be their uncle…but officially be their godfather, if something happens to me I need to know that they are looked after by someone I trust."

Callen sat back on the chair. "Me?!"

"Sure, Bro…I want to legally make you a part of my family, it's not a frivolous question, you'll be responsible for everything, raising Todd, I mean Summer's practically an adult already, but also, you'd have to take control of their trust funds..." Eric shrugged with a small grin, "My father apparently set them up, they kick in when they are 25, plus what I'm adding from the company checks from their shares of the company."

Callen just nodded, he was overwhelmed, but for the first time he was happy.

"Great!" Eric grinned, "I hoped you'd say yes, I kinda already filed the paperwork, you just need to sign."

"What about work, Hetty, the others."

Eric shrugged, "Hetty knows, I had to tell human resources, anyone else, it's up to you. Frankly I don't think they need to know, unless you feel you want to tell them, they know we are close so it shouldn't be a problem"

"And all I was gonna ask was if you'd allow me to give the kids a room each at my house?" Callen said thinking it sounded a bit feeble after that.

"You gonna buy actual furniture?" Eric asked

"Sure, even beds." Callen grinned.

Eric shrugged, "Ok."

Callen laughed. "Fine papa bear, look, you can even make sure everything is up to your standard."

Eric started laughing too, "Yeah two men looking for beds for their kid's bedroom….Can you say GAY!"

Callen punched him in the shoulder as Eric reached for a box to carry to the car for Callen.

* * *

Early the next morning Callen woke up, it was too quiet.

He realized as he shifted uncomfortably on his bed roll that he missed the bed he had had at Eric's home. He missed a lot of things the sounds of footsteps outside his room, Summer moaning that Todd had stolen all the hot water and hogged the bathroom, Todd moaning about the same thing only the other way around and Eric keeping the peace, he missed the sound of the ocean, but he was home.

Making a mental note to buy a bed he got up and showered, grabbed a coffee and headed into work.

OSP was as it had always been a hive of busy activity, agents bustling to and fro, Callen dropped his bag by his desk and walked into Hetty's office.

"Mr. Callen, Welcome back." Hetty said with a smile as she looked up and saw Callen.

"Thanks, I've got my evals here; I'm cleared for field work…finally." He said with a grin.

"That's good the team has missed you, do you have the 'other' paperwork for me?" She asked as Callen handed her a manila envelope.

"Eric said you could file this quickly." Callen said.

"I am so pleased that you are allowing this, I think it will be best for you all, you now have a family, Mr. Callen."

Callen ducked his head in a rare moment of shyness. But he was pleased nonetheless.

"Off you go Mr. Callen and I will make sure your paperwork is filed immediately." Hetty promised.

He walked back to his desk as Eric walked in, "Hey bro, did you give Hetty the paperwork?" he asked.

"Yep, its official now," Callen smirked, "There's no getting rid of me."

Eric laughed and headed up to ops as Deeks, Kensi and Sam arrived and welcomed him back.

He leaned back in his desk and looked at his team, he decided, that his relationship with Eric's family would for now stay between them. He had found acceptance and had finally cleared his hurdles, Eric was back at work full time and now earning extra as his dependants were no longer a secret to the team or to Eric.

Over the past month the team as a whole had gelled more, spending time outside of Ops and growing stronger because of it.

Settling back into his role, Callen sat at his desk going through the day's paperwork, as no new cases came in, laughing with the team as Deeks was teased by Kensi, who teased him back in return.

At the end of the day, Callen picked up his bag and made a call.

"You up for a beer?" Sam asked glad his partner was getting back to himself.

Eric laughed as he walked past; Sam raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Callen smiled, a rare genuine smiled, "Thanks Sam, but I have a date."

"You have a date?!" Sam was intrigued.

"Yep, shopping with a pretty little brunette teacher." Callen shrugged, it was he would admit a strange third date, but Sally Lissaman just hit all the right buttons with him.

"You shop? What for?" Sam asked incredulous, as far as he knew his partner lived on take out.

"A bed….furniture, food, usual stuff Sam." Callen smirked knowing how much it riled his partner not to know everything.

Callen walked to the door with his bag.

"Hell no!" Sam muttered under his breath and grabbed his own bag and ran after Callen.

"G? G! You gotta tell me everything!" He called after his partner as the big heavy wooden door closed behind them.

 


End file.
